Cincinnati Reds: Injuries aplenty could derail playoff pursuit quickly

The news isn’t good folks. The Cincinnati Reds have lost back-to-back games, fallen 7.5 games back in the division, and have been ravaged by injuries.

Derek Dietrich and Nick Senzel were the latest victims of the injury bug. The Cincinnati Reds lost Dietrich in the fifth inning after getting plunked on the right knee by Yu Darvish. Senzel exited in the eighth inning after what appeared to be a possible hamstring injury.

According to a tweet from Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the injuries suffered by Dietrich and Senzel aren’t expected to be serious and the two are optimistic they’ll be considered day-to-day. That’s a relief considering how short-handed the Reds clubhouse is becoming.

Raisel Iglesias was placed on the three-day paternity list and replaced by catcher Juan Graterol, who got the start behind the plate for the Reds in today’s series finale. Graterol filled the 40-man spot that remained vacant after a couple transactions before the All-Star break.

Curt Casali may be headed to the injured list after suffering from inflammation in his right knee. He’s missed the last two games, being replaced by Kyle Farmer on Tuesday and Graterol today. The Reds are already short a catcher with Tucker Barnhart on the 10-day IL with a strained oblique.

Speaking of Kyle Farmer, he missed Wednesday’s game following two ricochet shots off his face mask during Tuesday’s extra-innings loss to Chicago. Farmer took not one, but two balls off the face mask during that game and the second one seemed to really shake him up. According to Nightengale, Farmer will be reevaluated tomorrow for a concussion.

All these injuries are already added to the absence of Amir Garrett, who hopefully returns from a lat strain on Thursday. The left-hander was placed on the 10-day IL as more of a precaution. All signs point to Garrett returning to the bullpen tomorrow. Expect, perhaps, Jimmy Herget to head back to Triple-A Louisville once Garrett is activated.

On top of all that, Alex Wood has yet to play a game this season. However, the news out of Louisville is good, as the left-hander whom the Cincinnati Reds acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers, was slated to go 4-plus innings in a rehab start. Hopefully Wood is back in a week or two.

Don’t give up hope yet Reds fans. I know those back-to-back in Chicago hurt, but the Reds have plenty of opportunities over the next two weeks to make it interesting. A soft September schedule to really benefit this team if they can hang close through the month of August. However, before then, they have to get healthy.