Organizational Injury Report - 8/18 Cueto's Return as SP Looking Bleak

The Reds are reasonably hopeful that the bullpen can now return to full strength in time for the playoffs, with news that Sean Marshall's strengthening program has gone well enough to resume throwing.  With the return of Jonathan Broxton, Marshall's return would put the bullpen in the position the team had hoped to have on opening day, but which has only actually been in action for perhaps a few weeks all season.  If Marshall can return around early September, he would have a decent audition for a postseason roster spot, which I imagine he will win as long as he is healthy.  With expanding rosters in September, no roster moves will need to be made to accommodate Marshall's return.

The news (via John Fay) on Johnny Cueto, while not all bad, does not bode well for a return this season unless it is in the bullpen.  An MRI revealed that ~75% of his lat strain has healed, which means he cannot begin throwing yet.  He will have another MRI in a week to see how the healing has progressed and whether he can begin throwing at that point.  The problem is that, at the time of that re-evaluation, there will be only a week left of the minor league season, which is not near enough time to build up enough stamina to return as a starter, since he will have been out for almost two months, not to mention the starts and stops he has experienced all year in his workload.  This was essentially a lost season for Cueto, which makes the Reds' overall performance this season a bit more understandable.

In minor league news, last week I mentioned that AA Pensacola had not yet placed a player on the DL this year, but I was actually quite mistaken.  The Blue Wahoos are just very slow to list their transactions, and so by the time they are officially posted, they're already buried (sometimes by weeks of other transactions).  Also, I simply overlooked Kyle Lotzkar's injury back in April.  At any rate, OF Bryson Smith was placed on the 7-day DL on June 16, 1B Marquez Smith was placed on the DL July 11, P Brian Pearl on July 14, 2B Brodie Greene on July 20, and Donald Lutz was placed on the DL with a fractured finger on August 13.  All of them remain sidelined.

At AAA Louisville RP Curtis Partch was placed on the DL on August 9 with an injury to the biceps radial nerve in his throwing arm, and he returned August 17.  RP Kanekoa Texeira was placed on the DL August 12 with lower back tightness. C Matt Kennelly and P Ryan Dennick were both placed on the DL retroactive to August 15 with undisclosed injuries.

At A- Dayton, 2B Brent Peterson returned to action August 16, after 15 days on the DL.  OF Phillip Ervin was placed on the 7-day DL August 16.  It's unfortunate for the prospect who has done nothing but impress since joining the Reds organization from this year's draft.  Also at Dayton, RP Chad Jones is on the 7-day DL, perhaps effective at the time he was promoted from the Billings Mustangs (June 14?).  The injury is undisclosed.  Rogers has a very interesting story as a prospect, since doctors considered the idea that he'd never be able to walk again after a horrific car accident which ended his football career and therefore pushed him into baseball.  The Reds see him as a LOOGY (and apparently a pretty good one if they used a 9th round pick on a guy they projected as a LOOGY).  USA Today had this interesting read on Jones' path to the Reds organization.

Injuries for the Reds and their affiliates are kept reasonably current on the Reds Injury List.