Reds demote former All-Star closer Alexis Díaz, call up Luis Mey
CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds optioned closer Alexis Díaz to Triple-A Louisville following Wednesday's 6-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. The team called up right-hander Luis Mey to take his roster spot.
Díaz, an All-Star in 2023, allowed three consecutive home runs in the first game of the doubleheader loss, part of a five-run ninth for the Cardinals.
Advertisement
After starting the season on the injured list, Díaz has appeared in six games since his return on April 15, allowing eight runs over six innings.
'(We wanted) to let him try to figure it out in Triple A,' manager Terry Francona said before Thursday's game against the Cardinals. 'After a doubleheader and the innings we spent, it's not just because of that, but we also need innings. The consistency isn't there. We told him, 'Hey man, we're not giving up on you. We just want you to be more consistent.'''
Before Thursday's game, the Reds also optioned right-hander Lyon Richardson to Triple-A and recalled right-hander Yosver Zulueta. Richardson threw three perfect innings in the team's 9-1 loss in the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader.
'(Brent) Suter and Lyon really clutched up,' Francona said Wednesday. 'If we have a chance to win (Thursday), those two guys will be a big part of giving us a chance.'
Mey, 23, is the team's No. 19 prospect, according to The Athletic's Keith Law. A 6-foot-5, 235-pound flamethrower, Mey was named the top reliever in last year's Arizona Fall League and earned a spot on the team's 40-man roster. Mey threw a 103-mph fastball earlier this month while with Louisville, where he was 1-1 with a 4.00 ERA in nine innings over 10 appearances. He has 10 strikeouts and seven walks.
Control has been a concern with Mey, but he had just two walks with eight strikeouts and one hit in eight appearances in the Arizona Fall League. He appeared in five games during Cactus League play this spring, striking out eight and walking 5 in 4 2/3 innings.
'He's got the arsenal,' Francona said. 'He's not the finished product, but we know that.'
Francona, who lives in Arizona in the offseason, caught a couple of Mey's performances in the AFL.
'I think I saw the best inning he's ever had,' Francona said. 'It was just a wipeout inning.'
Advertisement
Díaz struggled this spring after suffering a knee injury before the start of Cactus League play. He was inconsistent in spring training and started the season on the IL as the team worked on his mechanics.
Dominant at the start of the 2023 season, Díaz hasn't lived up to that level of play since. In 2024, he was 2-5 with a 3.99 ERA with 28 saves, but saw his walk rate increase while his strikeout rate increased.
The younger brother of New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz, Alexis debuted in 2022 and earned 10 saves. He became the team's primary closer the following year.
In Díaz's absence at the start of the season, the Reds turned to veteran Emilio Pagán to finish games. Pagán, 33, has eight saves and a 2.51 ERA in 15 appearances for the Reds this season.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
35 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Nationals recall 1B/DH Andrés Chaparro from minors after sending down infielder Nasim Nuñez
NEW YORK — The Washington Nationals recalled first baseman and designated hitter Andrés Chaparro from Triple-A Rochester before Tuesday night's game against the New York Mets. Chaparro was available off the bench for the series opener at Citi Field. He takes the roster spot of middle infielder Nasim Nuñez, optioned to Triple-A after going 0 for 2 on Sunday in a 4-2 loss at home to the Texas Rangers.
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Roman Anthony's first MLB hit is a 2-run double for a Red Sox lead over Rays
Roman Anthony's second MLB game is off to a better start than his first. Anthony went 0 for 4 with an RBI and an error in his MLB debut on Monday, just hours after the Red Sox called him up as the No. 1 prospect in baseball. The Red Sox lost to the Tampa Bay Rays, 10-8. Advertisement On Tuesday, Anthony got to work in his first at-bat. With runners on second and third in the bottom of the first inning, Anthony faced an outside changeup from Rays starter Ryan Pepiot on a 1-2 count. He swung and sent a line drive down the left-field line that rolled to the outfield wall. Two runs scored, and Anthony reached second for a go-ahead double on his first MLB hit. Not a bad way to start the career highlight reel. An Anthony help Sox compete in AL East? A Red Sox team sitting near the bottom of the AL East standings (32-36 before Tuesday's game) and in need of an offensive injection called Anthony up from Triple-A Worcester following an injury to right fielder Wilyer Abreu. A 21-year-old outfielder, Anthony is filling in for Abreu in right and batting fifth in the Red Sox lineup. Advertisement Just two nights prior to his callup, Anthony showed off part of what makes him such a tantalizing prospect with a 497-foot grand slam for Worcester that was longer than any MLB home run this season. The Red Sox are certainly hoping he can build off of Tuesday's breakthrough and provide a boost in the AL playoff race.
Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
Royals place Michael Massey on injured list, recall Tyler Tolbert before series-opener vs Yankees
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Royals placed second baseman Michael Massey on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left ankle and recalled utility man Tyler Tolbert from Triple-A Omaha before starting a three-game series against the Yankees on Tuesday night. Massey had served as the designated hitter on Saturday against the White Sox but did not finish the game, and he was out of the lineup for the series finale . He is hitting just .202 with two homers and 14 RBIs in 56 games this season. 'The same ankle injury that he's been dealing with since the last homestand. It's just not getting any better, or it's not improving enough to go out there and play at a high level,' Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. 'He got an MRI to show that things weren't healing as well as we would like. So, we needed to make a move to get him some rest.' In other news, the Royals expect to have reliever Lucas Erceg back before they wrap up their series against New York. He threw a clean inning against Omaha on Sunday night as he works his way back from a lower back strain. Erceg has appeared in 24 games with a 1.96 ERA for Kansas City this season. ___ AP MLB:
