Reds infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand may have wrist surgical procedure on July 11 and there’s a three-month restoration timeline. If that timeline holds, meaning he gained’t have the ability to return through the common season. Supervisor David Bell relayed the knowledge to reporters right this moment, with Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer amongst these to cross it alongside. X hyperlink one and two.
It’s been a irritating and weird saga for Encarnacion-Strand. Again on the finish of April, he was hit on the hand by a pitch and X-rays have been damaging however revealed a small pre-existing fracture. The infielder mentioned he didn’t know the way that happened and that he wasn’t in any discomfort previous to being hit by that pitch.
He was positioned on the injured checklist a few week later, with the membership describing his ailment with no consideration ulnar styloid fracture. Simply over every week in the past, Bell revealed that surgical procedure was being thought of and it now appears that it has been deemed obligatory. Given the three-month restoration timeline, Encarnacion-Strand gained’t have the ability to return this yr until the membership makes the playoffs and survives via the center of October. Even when that does come to cross, will probably be a problem for him to get again into recreation form and earn his method onto the roster, so it appears there’s a good likelihood his 2024 is successfully completed.
That’s a really irritating blow for Encarnacion-Strand and the membership. A highly-touted prospect, he debuted with a splash final yr by hitting 13 dwelling runs in his first 63 main league video games. He slashed .270/.328/.477 general for a wRC+ of 112.
He was undoubtedly hoping to construct off that with a wholesome and productive exhibiting in his first full season, but it surely hasn’t come to cross. He hit simply .190/.220/.293 in his 29 video games this yr and that can virtually actually be his remaining line when the yr is over. He’s already on the 60-day injured checklist and is now slated to remain there for the remainder of the marketing campaign.
For the group, this simply provides to the variety of missed alternatives by their gamers this yr. Noelvi Marté was hit with an 80-game PED suspension and has missed your entire season to date. Accidents have plagued Matt McLain, TJ Friedl and varied pitchers on their employees, leaving the membership pretty hampered all yr lengthy.
Their season continues to be alive because of the weak Nationwide League Wild Card race. The Reds are simply 37-41 however that’s solely 2.5 video games out of a playoff spot in the mean time. That’s considerably encouraging but it surely additionally results in loads of “what if” questions amid all the varied points the membership has handled.
Encarnacion-Strand was the on a regular basis first baseman previous to the touchdown on the injured checklist however that job has primarily fallen to Spencer Steer in latest months. Marté might return quickly to probably issue into the third base combine and maybe that can result in Jeimer Candelario transferring over to first base at occasions. That might push Steer right into a nook outfield function, the place Will Benson and Jake Fraley are having underwhelming seasons.
