3 roster moves Reds fans should expect in the coming days

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The Cincinnati Reds completed a very difficult stretch of games against some very formidable opponents and came out of it with a 9-8 record. With an off-day on Thursday, the Redlegs sit a half-game back of the Miami Marlins for the final NL Wild Card spot.

While the schedule is markedly easier for the Reds over the final few weeks than it is for the Marlins, that's no reason for Cincinnati to take their foot off the gas. The St. Louis Cardinals, Detroit Tigers, and Pittsburgh Pirates would love to play spoiler in the coming weeks.

The Reds have been crushed by injuries and illness the past few weeks, but it appears as though reinforcements will soon be on the way. What are three roster moves Reds fans should expect to see in the coming days.

1. Reds activate Fernando Cruz and return Connor Phillips to Triple-A.

Fernando Cruz has been on the COVID-19 IL for the better part of a week. The Cincinnati Reds has survived without him, but since the All-Star break, Cruz has been one of manager David Bell's most reliable relievers.

The 33-year-old was a September call-up at this time last year. After many years in the independent league, Cruz finally made it to The Show in 2022. The right-hander had been a crucial part of the Reds bullpen, oftentimes getting the call late in games when Cincinnati was clinging to a slim lead.

Since August 1st, Fernando Cruz owns a 2.25 ERA and is striking out 14.25 batters per nine innings. The right-hander has a strikeout-rate of nearly 40-percent during that time and a FIP of just 2.18.

Since Connor Phillips was not techincally added to the 40-man roster, the right-hander will not need to be optioned back to Triple-A. Rather, Phillips can simply return to the Louisville Bats starting rotation and await his next opportunity in the big leagues.

The opportunity also exists, if the Reds deem it necessary, that Phillips could have his contract selected by the club and reliever Kevin Herget could be designated for assignment. A lot of this will depend on the health of Hunter Greene, Ben Lively, and Brandon Williamson.

2. Reds activate Hunter Greene and return Carson Spiers to Double-A.

Carson Spiers is set to make his second major league start this weekend against the St. Louis Cardinals. It hard to imagine a scenario where Spiers envisioned himself on a major league mound in the midst of a playoff race. And yet, here he is.

Spiers had a solid outing during his first big league start. The 25-year-old made it through four innings and kept the damage to a minimum. Spiers allowed three runs on five hits while walking two batters and striking out seven.

But, all signs point to Hunter Greene returning from the COVID-19 IL on Sunday. Greene had his best performance since returning from the 60-day IL when he went 5.1 innings against the San Francisco Giants and allowed just one run on three hits while striking out six.

After two subpar performances after returning from a hip injury, it was nice to see Greene rebound in a big way. That performance, unfortunately, was Greene's last before hitting the COVID-19 IL.

Regardless of how Carson Spiers performs on Saturday against the Cardinals, look for the right-hander to return to Double-A Chattanooga. The Cincinnati Reds can then activate Hunter Greene from the injured list and send the flamethrower to the bump on Sunday. Spiers will likely have a 40-man roster spot waiting for him this offseason.

3. Reds activate Jonathan India and option Stuart Fairchild to Triple-A.

This will be a welcome sight, won't it? The Cincinnati Reds have been without their leader for nearly two months, and Jonathan India has been working tirelessly to return from a plantar faciitis injury that has kept him sidelined since July 28th.

While India's numbers may be down, the second baseman is the heart and soul of this year's Reds team. The former NL Rookie of the Year is a grinder who consistently gives his team everything he has night in a night out.

With Matt McLain on the IL as well, it's even more important for the Reds that India gets back as soon as possible. The infielder is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Louisville on Friday. If everything goes as planned, Jonanthan India could be back in the lineup in time for the Reds road trip to the Motor City.

There's sure to be some debate about who gets sent back once India returns. While Nick Senzel shouldn't feel safe in the least, especially after being optioned to Triple-A last month, it's much more likely that Stuart Farichild makes his way back to the Derby City.

Jonathan India's return will allow Spencer Steer to play the outfield more often, plus the Cincinnati Reds acquired two right-handed hitting outfielders (Harrison Bader and Hunter Renfroe) on waivers just last week. Look for Fairchild to be optioned when India returns from the IL.

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