Reds' Joey Votto to IL for 'discomfort' in surgically repaired shoulder; Senzel recalled
PHOENIX − Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout weren’t the only former MVP players who failed to escape the Cincinnati Reds-Los Angeles Angels series this week healthy.
Veteran Reds star Joey Votto, who left Wednesday’s doubleheader opener for a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning, went on the injured list Thursday because of “discomfort” in his surgically repaired left shoulder.
Votto spent 10 months recovering and rehabbing after surgeries on the shoulder and biceps, returning to the Reds lineup June 19.
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It was not immediately clear how serious Votto’s injury is or whether — with just 34 games remaining — it’s a threat to sideline him the rest of the season.
The team expects him to undergo a strengthening program before his status is re-evaluated.
Votto hit 13 home runs in his first 39 games back and is hitting .200 with a .761 OPS in 51 games overall since his return.
The sudden roster opening offered a second chance for Nick Senzel, the fifth-year veteran, who watched his playing time decrease through the season until being optioned to the minors Aug. 11.
Senzel was recalled Thursday to join the team in Phoenix for the opener of a big four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Senzel, a third baseman and outfielder, had a home run, walk and three RBIs in two starts against the Diamondbacks at home last month.
The Reds already were playing without starting second baseman Jonathan India (plantar fasciitis), who began a running program Wednesday on an anti-gravity treadmill, and outfielder Jake Fraley (fractured toe), who is to have surgery after the season but plans to return in the next week or two and play through the injury until then.
The Reds are coming off a three-game sweep of the Angels, after which the Angels returned Trout to the injured list (hand) and announced that Ohtani won’t pitch again the rest of the season because of a UCL tear suffered during his brief start against the Reds on Wednesday.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Joey Votto lands on IL again for shoulder, Nick Senzel back for Reds
