Reds' Alex Wood: Eyeing 2019 return

Wood, who was scratched from his scheduled outing Tuesday against the Phillies due to lower-back soreness, said he's hopeful to pitch again this season, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Wood indicated that he first experienced back stiffness the morning after his Aug. 29 start in Miami, with the Reds opting to skip his subsequent turn in the rotation after he failed to show much improvement in the days that followed. Considering Wood missed the first three months of the season with a related injury, the Reds could be inclined to err on the side of caution and hold him out of the pitching schedule for additional turns. Tyler Mahle is expected to serve as the Reds' fifth starter for the duration of Wood's absence.