Cincinnati Reds Get Positive Injury Updates on Multiple Young Players as Stretch Run Looms

As the Cincinnati Reds chase the organization's first playoff berth since 2020, they've gotten good injury news on a pair of young players: Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Nick Lodolo.

The following update on Encarnacion-Strand comes from the Rotowire fantasy baseball portal:

X-rays on Encarnacion-Strand's hand came back negative, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

ANALYSIS
Encarnacion-Strand was struck by a Johan Oviedo pitch in the fifth inning of Friday's win over the Pirates, but he's managed to avoid a serious injury. It's possible the Reds will elect to give him a day of rest Saturday, anyway, but consider the young slugger day-to-day.

All things considered, that's very positive news. "CES" is one of the Reds rookies that is contributing this season, alongside Matt McLain, Elly De La Cruz, Andrew Abbott and Spencer Steer. 

He's got three home runs and 13 RBI in 76 at-bats.

The following update on Lodolo looks like this:

Lodolo (lower leg) began a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League on Friday.

ANALYSIS
Lodolo will begin rehabbing in rookie ball before progressing his way up the minors to face tougher competition. The 25-year-old lefty put up a 6.29 ERA and 1.75 WHIP over 34.1 innings across seven starts and is expected to return to the Reds' rotation before the end of August.

That's also good. The return of Lodolo, coupled with soon-return of Hunter Greene, will aid a beaten-up Reds' pitching staff.

Cincinnati enters play on Saturday at 61-57. They've lost eight of their last 10 and are 2.5 games back in the National League wild card chase.