MLB Player News

Muncy isn't starting Friday against the Brewers, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Muncy drew the start at second base Thursday against the Cardinals and was removed from the contest early, although there's been no word of an injury. Cody Bellinger will move to first base and Alex Verdugo gets the call in right field with Muncy on the bench.

Hayes went 3-for-5 with two doubles and a homer against Triple-A Charlotte on Thursday.

The home run was his first at the Triple-A level. Hayes spent all of 2018 playing for Double-A Altoona, where he slashed .293/.375/.444 but with only seven homers in 437 at-bats. He followed that up by hitting .353 with three home runs in Grapefruit League action this spring. The third baseman has a solid skill set, but his fantasy value may be determined by his ability to hit for power. So far he's off to a good start in 2019.

Farmer has played a limited role so far, hitting .167/.167/.667 with two homers in 12 at-bats.

Though he's capable of catching, the Reds haven't used him there yet, as he's played three games at second base and a game at third. Most of his action has been as a pinch hitter. With two other catchers on the active roster, that will continue to be his role.

Escobar went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in Arizona's 7-6 loss to the Padres on Thursday.

Escobar had been off to a slow start, but he broke through with his first long ball of the season in this contest, launching a game-tying three-run blast off Brad Wieck in the seventh inning. He's still slashing just .220/.304/.360 over 50 at-bats, but hopefully this is a sign the 30-year-old infielder is primed to get going at the dish.

Suarez went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and two RBI in a 5-0 victory against the Marlins on Thursday.

The 27-year-old posted a pair of three-hit games and two homers in the series versus the Marlins. With the great series, Suarez is now hitting .297 with five extra-base hits, six RBI and four runs this season. His OPS sits at an impressive 1.004.

Longoria is not starting Thursday against the Rockies.

Longoria hits the bench for just the second time this season. Pablo Sandoval gets the call at third base in his absence.

Newman was placed on the 10-day injured list with a laceration on his right middle finger Thursday.

The move is retroactive to April 9, so Newman could be back in action as soon as April 19. Kevin Kramer was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis to take his place on the roster.

Manager David Bell said Thursday that Senzel's (ankle) progress in his recovery has been encouraging, but the skipper noted the 23-year-old is at least a couple of weeks away from playing games at any level, Fletcher Page of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Senzel was recently cleared to shed his walking boot and resume working out, but he'll likely need until late April to work through a full progression of activities before the Reds clear him for action in simulated or rehab games. The Reds will likely ease Senzel into a rehab assignment by first sending him to a lower-level affiliate before he eventually makes his way to Triple-A Louisville, where he finished the past season. Assuming Senzel hits no snags in his recovery from the right ankle sprain while playing for Louisville, he may not stick around in the minors for long. His long-awaited promotion to Cincinnati could come at some point in May.

Senzel (ankle) has resumed baseball activities, though he's still a decent distance away from playing in games, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. "Nick has been throwing long toss, has begun running on the field, hitting off a tee, completing lower body lifts and is working on change of direction in the pool," Reds president of baseball operations Dick Williams said on Wednesday. "We anticipate live at-bats [Thursday]. We are pleased with the progress."

Senzel will eventually play in Triple-A Louisville once he's activated from the minor-league injured list, and he'll need further time before even joining the big-league club. The Reds' offensive struggles in the outfield may heighten the scrutiny on the team for their decision to send him down, but at this juncture it's a moot point. One concern about Senzel is whether he'll continue to run once he returns: Not only is there a risk of re-injury, but he also hurt himself trying to steal in the first place.

Machado went 1-for-4 with a solo homer in a 3-1 victory against the Giants on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old has been on base a ton because of walks, but Machado has been a little show in most of the offensive categories. His three homers aren't bad, but Machado is hitting .244 with six RBI and seven runs through 45 at-bats. He also has one steal.