Even though Tyler Stephenson’s ability to hit might be ahead of his ability to catch with his injured thumb, he seems to be moving in the right direction as the Cincinnati Reds prepare to embark on September baseball.
As the Reds opened a vital nine-game homestand Aug. 29, Stephenson continued to progress from the thumb fracture that landed him in the injured list Aug. 20. On Aug. 29, Stephenson took batting practice and caught balls from a pitching machine. Reds manager Terry Francona said that went well, and the club might be in a position to utilize Stephenson’s bat before they lean on his abilities as a catcher.
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“He’s going to catch off the machine (Aug. 30) because it’s a little more dependable,” Francona said. “We’re trying to move him along and not have him go backward. He’s able to hit and he hit (Aug. 29) and he did well, so we’re going to actually talk to him a little bit later today about maybe, maybe we start his hitting progression before he’s ready to catch in a game just to kind of get him up to speed. That’s a conversation we’re going to have.”
Tyler Stephenson will most likely be able to help the Reds with his bat before he can catch when he returns from the injured list. He hit Aug. 29 without any setbacks and has been catching from a pitching machine.
Stephenson last played Aug. 15 against the Milwaukee Brewers.
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Stephenson is wearing a new custom-fitted protective guard on his injured left thumb that a hand specialist told him might allow him to return from the injured list in “10 to 14 days,” The Enquirer reported Aug. 23.
If that timeline holds up, it’s possible Stephenson could rejoin the Reds on the current homestand, which concludes with a three-game series against the New York Mets. Cincinnati is chasing the Mets in the race for a National League wild card spot.
The Mets series Sept. 5-7 could go a long way to shaping what the rest of September looks like in that race, but Cincinnati still has to contend with the St. Louis Cardinals (Aug. 30 and 31) and then the American League East-leading Toronto Blue Jays (Sept. 1-3) before the Mets arrive at Great American Ball Park.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Here’s the latest on Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson’s recovery from thumb injury