Cincinnati Reds LHP Justin Wilson X-rays negative after struck in knee by liner, exiting
SAN DIEGO – The Cincinnati Reds are optimistic they've avoided taking one step back as they trying to take a big step forward toward full health of their pitching staff in the coming days.
The Reds said X-rays were negative after left-handed reliever Justin Wilson was drilled near the inside of his right knee by a line drive hit by Jose Azocar in the eighth inning of Tuesday night’s 6-4 loss to the San Diego Padres.
Wilson leaped and paced in obvious pain and after one practice pitch to test the leg left the game.
“It was tough to see. That was a hard-hit ball,” manager David Bell said. “We think Justin’s going to be OK.”
The Wilson scare came on the same day Bell said he expects Opening Day starter Frankie Montas to return from the injured list on or very close to his eligible day Tuesday at home against the Diamondbacks after faring especially well in a bullpen session Monday.
“Based on how he felt (Monday), it was great,” Bell said. “He didn’t feel anything.”
Montas has been sidelined since suffering a bad bruise on his right forearm April 21.
Reds Padres injury returns Why Cincinnati Reds might be at full roster strength by August – including Matt McLain
Reds commentary April awards Wittenmyer & Williams: See our April MVP, Cy Young awards for Cincinnati Reds
Reds top prospect How Cincinnati Reds prospect Rhett Lowder might find fast track to MLB debut in 2024
Nick Martinez, who backfilled Montas’ spot in the rotation, pitched Tuesday night in San Diego against his former team, allowing just one run through four innings until a four-run fifth that included a bloop hit, a catcher’s interference call, an error and a three-run double by Manny Machado.
“Some bad luck, and then a bad pitch,” Martinez said.
“Just a lot of different, weird plays. But he did his job,” Bell said. “He keeps pitching like that, which we know he will, he’s going to have a lot of success for us.”
Bell didn’t finish the game in the dugout. After reliever Emilio Pagan was squeezed by home-plate ump Cory Blaser, Pagan said a few words after a narrow escape of a jam in the seventh, and Bell took up the argument in one of his more animated conversations with an umpire of the past year.
After being ejected, he kicked some of the equipment in the on-deck circle, including a heavy weighted bat donut.
Martinez said it was “awesome” to see Bell stand up for Pagan and the team.
“It was just an interaction between Emilio and the umpire,” Bell said. “The inning was over, and I wanted to make sure it ended that way.”
Said Pagan: “I wasn’t trying to show anybody up. I put my head down; I wasn’t looking at him, and I said, ‘I don’t think those pitchers are down.’ And when I looked up, DB was coming out to let him know his opinion as well and obviously it escalated a little.
“I appreciated him having my back.”
It was Bell’s 28th career ejection.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: X-Rays negative after Cincinnati Reds LHP Justin Wilson struck in knee
