Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Plates four runs in shocking loss
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Encarnacion-Strand went 3-for-5 with a home run, two total runs and four total RBI in a loss to the Pirates on Saturday.
Encarnacion-Strand put Cincinnati on the board with a two-run homer in the first inning. He added a run-scoring single in the second to help the team build an early 9-0 advantage. However, Pittsburgh came storming back to build a 13-9 lead before Encarnacion-Strand's eighth-inning single brought home another run to make the score 13-11. The rookie's big day ultimately went to waste, however, as the Pirates pulled off a one-run win. The four RBI were the most Encarnacion-Strand has recorded in a game thus far in his brief career. He's been on a power surge of late, knocking four homers over his past six games to give him 10 long balls on the season.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Belts homer in loss
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Encarnacion-Strand went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 5-3 loss to Minnesota.
Encarnacion-Strand launched his ninth homer in the fourth inning, the rookie's third long ball over the last four games. A slumping Elly De La Cruz, who sat out for the third time in the last six contests, has opened a few extra opportunities for Encarnacion-Strand and Noelvi Marte on the left side of the infield.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Absent from lineup
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Encarnacion-Strand is not in the lineup for Monday's game versus the Twins.
Encarnacion-Strand has hit home runs in both of his last two games, but those are the only two starts he's made in the Reds' past five contests, as his playing time versus righties has been lagging since Joey Votto returned from the injured list. Votto will pick up the start at first base Monday.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Homers again
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Encarnacion-Strand went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Sunday's 8-4 loss to the Mets.
Encarnacion-Strand homered for a second time in as many days; however, Sunday's blast didn't carry the same impact as his game-winning hit the previous day. He's given the Reds a lift during the chase for the playoffs, registering a .341/.370/.591 slash line with three home runs and seven RBI over 13 games in September.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Comes up big in win over Mets
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Encarnacion-Strand went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and a stolen base in Saturday's 3-2 win over the Mets.
Getting the start at third base and batting seventh, Encarnacion-Strand delivered what proved to be the winning runs when he lofted a Tylor Megill fastball over the fence in right-center field in the fourth inning. Encarnacion-Strand hasn't been seeing regular playing time lately on a crowded Reds roster, but the 23-year-old has been making the most of his opportunities, slashing .325/.357/.525 through 12 games in September with two doubles, two homers, four runs and five RBI.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Playing time trending down
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Encarnacion-Strand is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Mets.
Encarnacion-Strand will be on the bench for the fourth time in five games, with two absences coming against right-handed pitchers and two coming versus left-handed pitchers. With the power-hitting rookie no longer assured of even a short-side platoon role, he's tough to justify rostering in shallower redraft formats. Encarnacion-Strand's downturn in playing time comes even as he's gotten off to a solid start to September with a .297/.333/.432 slash line through 11 games.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: On bench again Thursday
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Encarnacion-Strand is absent from the lineup for Thursday's contest in Detroit.
Encarnacion-Strand started Wednesday's game and reached base twice, but this now marks the third time he's been out of the lineup in the Reds' last four contests. With Joey Votto back from the injured list and Jake Fraley limited to DH duty, the playing time squeeze for Encarnacion-Strand could continue.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Steady gig ending soon
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Encarnacion-Strand started at first base and went 2-for-5 in Friday's 9-4 loss to the Cardinals.
Encarnacion-Strand has been the primary fill-in at first base while Joey Votto (shoulder) has been sidelined. That steady gig will end this weekend, as Votto is expected to return Sunday after a two-game rehab stint at Triple-A Louisville. Cincinnati manager David Bell will need to find opportunities for Encarnacion-Strand at designated hitter, third base or first base going forward. And there's motivation to find him spots in the lineup. Encarnacion-Strand is 14-for-35 (.400) with five extra-base hits and six RBI over the last nine games.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Homers in three-hit performance
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Encarnacion-Strand went 3-for-5 with a solo home run, an additional RBI and an additional run scored in Tuesday's walk-off victory over the Mariners.
Encarnacion-Strand blasted a no-doubt solo shot to cut Seattle's lead to 5-2 in the sixth and then delivered a walk-off RBI single in the ninth to complete the improbable comeback. After a somewhat slow start to his big-league career, the 23-year-old rookie has gone 11-for-26 (.423) in his last seven contests with three doubles, two home runs, five RBI and three runs across 26 at-bats during that stretch.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Taking seat Monday
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Encarnacion-Strand is absent from the lineup for Monday's game against the Mariners.
It's Encarnacion-Strand's first day off since July 28. Nick Martini is starting at first base and Jake Fraley is in the designated hitter spot for the Reds.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Returns to lineup
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Encarnacion-Strand (hand) is hitting sixth and starting at designated hitter in Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader against the Pirates.
Encarnacion-Strand was hit by a pitch Friday and removed from the game. X-rays were negative, but he was still held out Saturday. Encarnacion-Strand is hitting .286 with two home runs, four runs and six RBI over his last 10 games.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Remains out Saturday
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Encarnacion-Strand (hand) isn't in the Reds' lineup Saturday against the Pirates.
Encarnacion-Strand made an early exit from Friday's contest after taking a pitch to the hand and will get an extra day to recover. Henry Ramos will serve as Cincinnati's designated hitter Saturday, and Joey Votto will start at first base.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: X-rays on hand negative
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Encarnacion-Strand was removed from Friday's game after being hit by a pitch, but X-rays on his hand came back negative, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Encarnacion-Strand was struck by a Johan Oviedo pitch in the fifth inning, but it seems he's managed to avoid a serious injury. It's possible the Reds will elect to give the rookie a day off Saturday.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Goes yard in loss
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Encarnacion-Strand went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in Wednesday's 5-4 loss to the Marlins.
Encarnacion-Strand propelled the Reds to a lead in the fourth inning with a two-run homer, then extended the lead with run-producing single in the sixth. However, Cincinnati's bullpen coughed up four runs in the final two innings. It was the second home run in three games for Encarnacion-Strand, who is 12-for-37 (.324) over the last 10 contests.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Drives in two
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Encarnacion-Strand went 2-for-5 with two RBI in Tuesday's 20-9 loss to the Cubs.
Encarnacion-Strand bounced back from his first stretch of adversity in the majors. After a five-game stretch in which the 23-year-old went 1-for-14 with eight strikeouts, Encarnacion-Strand has four hits, three RBI and a run scored without striking out in his last two games.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Delivers home run off bench
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Encarnacion-Strand went 2-for-3 with a three-run home run in Tuesday's 11-10 loss to San Francisco.
Encarnacion-Strand, who went 0-for-3 in his major-league debut Monday, homered as a pinch hitter for Jake Fraley to make his first MLB hit a special one. It gave the Reds an 8-7 lead, but they couldn't hold it. Encarnacion-Strand stayed in the game as the third baseman and singled in his next plate appearance.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Batting seventh in MLB debut
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Encarnacion-Strand will start at designated hitter and bat seventh in his major-league debut Monday versus the Giants.
Encarnacion-Strand earned his long-awaited promotion after slashing .331/.405/.637 while clubbing 20 home runs in 316 plate appearances with Triple-A Louisville. He's capable of playing both corner infield spots and has a bit of experience in the outfield, too, but the 23-year-old might be best suited for DH.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Major-league promotion on tap
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The Reds will promote Encarnacion-Strand from Triple-A Louisville on Monday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Encarnacion-Strand has performed well at Louisville over the first half of the 2023 campaign, slashing .331/.405/.637 with 20 homers, 65 runs, 62 RBI and two stolen bases. The 23-year-old has impressed at every level of the minors and will now have an opportunity to showcase his talents on the big-league stage alongside some of Cincinnati's other top prospects in Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain. Encarnacion-Strand has seen some playing time in the outfield recently, and the corner outfield spots could be a path toward playing time if the Reds don't want to take at-bats away from Spencer Steer and Joey Votto. Regardless of Encarnacion-Strand's position, he's in line for regular at-bats with the major-league club as Cincinnati pushes for a playoff spot.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Gets start in right field
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Encarnacion-Strand started in right field for Triple-A Louisville on Thursday, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Encarnacion-Strand looks to be next in line among Cincinnati's prospects to be called up, though he's blocked at first base by Spencer Steer and potentially Joey Votto (shoulder). The Reds have comparatively struggled to get production from their corner outfield positions, as Stuart Fairchild has regularly started in left field of late while a combination of Will Benson and T.J. Hopkins have started in right. It's unclear if Encarnacion-Strand will prove trustworthy enough with the glove to stick in the outfield, but it's potentially one more path for him to reach the majors.
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Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Leads Triple-A in ISO
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Encarnacion-Strand is hitting .352 with 14 home runs and a 25.2 percent strikeout rate in 33 games for Triple-A Louisville.
While he rarely sees a pitch he doesn't like, Encarnacion-Strand has the ability to get the barrel on the ball, even when he swings at a pitcher's pitch. His .380 ISO leads all qualified Triple-A hitters, and his future home park in Cincinnati will only enhance his home run prowess. Defensively, Encarnacion-Strand fits best at first base or designated hitter, although he has also started seven games at third base this year. While Encarnacion-Strand appears ready for a call to the majors, his teammate Elly De La Cruz also appears ready, and the Reds may not have room for both of them to play regularly in the short term.
