Cincinnati (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds placed outfielder Austin Hays on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain and activated catcher Tyler Stephenson on Friday.
Hays, who is batting.365 in 13 games with five home runs and 13 RBIs, injured himself while sprinting the bases in Cincinnati’s 3-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday.
Hays’ time on the injured list was retroactively started by the Reds on Tuesday. Stephenson has been sidelined with a left oblique injury since the regular season began. He appeared in 138 games last season, 127 of them as a catcher.
“We’re happy to have Stephenson back. “He is an important part of what we want to do,” Reds manager Terry Francona said before Cincinnati’s game against Washington on Friday night. “Especially with Hays out, he gives us that veteran right-handed bat.”
Stephenson, who set career highs with 26 doubles, 19 home runs, and 66 RBI in 2024, will share catching responsibilities with Jose Trevino and Austin Wynn. Trevino, who was signed to backup Stephenson behind the plate, is hitting.324. Wynns is hitting.394 in 12 games as Trevino’s backup.
Francona stated that having three catchers on the roster is unlikely to last indefinitely.
“It will allow us, if we DH one of them, we can pinch run easier,” Fancona told reporters. “We’re quite blessed. We left camp feeling a little anxious. You lose one of your biggest guns, but the guys performed an excellent job. That was extremely helpful to us.
Francona dismissed the idea of Stephenson playing first base.
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