Reds News: Bullpen roles reassigned, Luke Maile's return date, Sammy Stafura shines

The Cincinnati Reds were on the receiving end of an old-fashioned butt-whooping on Wednesday night at Great American Ball Park. Though Jake Fraley finally broke through with his first home run at GABP, Nick Lodolo just didn't have it.

The Reds starter slogged his way through 5.2 innings against the Chicago Cubs. Craig Counsell's crew jumped on Lodolo early with the southpaw allowing far too many hits on the evening. After closing the gap from six runs to three, a two-run double off Reds' killer Ian Happ spelled the end of Lodolo's outing in the sixth.

The Reds have an off-day on Thursday and will get back to it on Friday with a visit from the San Francisco Giants. Cincinnati's three-game series against San Fran could have major implications for the NL Wild Card race with both teams sitting below .500. Whoever loses this upcoming series will have a tough time staying in the playoff picture during the final two months of the season.

Reds News: Tony Santillan to take over Lucas Sims' role in the bullpen

Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer is reporting that David Bell will push Tony Santillan into more of a high-leverage role over the final two months of the season. It sounds as if Santillan, who was the Louisville Bats' closer down at Triple-A, will essentially be taking on the role that Lucas Sims filled before being traded to the Boston Red Sox earlier this week.

Santillan is no stranger to this type of role. It's one that he filled during his rookie season in 2021, and one he was expected to fill in 2022 before being placed on the IL with a debilitating back injury. So far this season, Santillan has yet to allow a run and has nine strikeouts in six innings pitched.

Goldsmith also reported that Nick Martinez will continue to operate in the same hybrid role he's been filling this season. Fellow right-hander Lyon Richardson, who was sent down to Triple-A before Wednesday's game, will taking on a similar role in the minor leagues.

Reds News: Luke Maile expected to return vs. SF Giants

Eric Yang may have received his first and only major league at-bat on Wednesday night against the Cubs. Luke Maile, who's been saddled with a back injury, is currently on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Louisville.

But it sounds as if Thursday might be final tuneup for Maile before returning to the Reds active roster. Austin Wynns initially replaced Maile, but after suffering a shoulder injury, the Reds' backup catcher was placed on the IL himself. Reds fans should expect to see Maile back in uniform sometime this weekend.

Reds News: Shortstop prospect Sammy Stafura continues to shine with the Daytona Tortugas

The Reds, unsurprisingly, tabbed a shortstop during the second-round of last year's draft. The Reds are known to covet up-the-middle prospects in the early rounds of the MLB Draft, and so far, that strategy seems to be paying off in the minor leagues.

Sammy Stafura had another terrific game with the Daytona Tortugas on Wednesday. The 19-year-old went 3-for-4 with six RBI in Daytona's 7-5 win over the Dunedin Blue Jays. Stafura is hitting .266 on the season with a .785 OPS and 15 extra-base hits in 47 games. The Cincinnati faithful should keep an eye on this rising Reds prospect.

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