Take Your Time Tyler, You've Been Pipped

Lovers of the Cincinnati Reds offense may be heard uttering these words,” Take your time Tyler, no really take your time.”

Tyler Stephenson was a big component in the Reds’ offense last season. He had career highs for doubles (26), home runs (19), and RBI (66), but a painful oblique robbed him of the first month of the season.

He started his rehab with Louisville on Tuesday against the Iowa Cubs and hit an RBI double in three at bats. Another good sign is that Stephenson caught again on Wednesday morning in a 1-0 win over Iowa, calling a solid game for Chase Petty. He was 0-for-3 on the day.

However, his current roster replacement Austin Wynns continues to be an offensive force at the big league level behind current starter, Jose Trevino. The Reds defeated the Miami Marlins on Wednesday, 5-2. Not only did he guide Brady Singer through a quality start, he had three more hits, a game tying home run in the third inning, an RBI double in the eighth inning, and a single in the middle of a run-scoring inning.

Was a triple for the cycle, too much to ask?

Wynns is just the fifth Reds player since 1900 with nine hits in a two-game span, after he had six hits, including a home run in Sunday’s 24-2 win, perhaps giving Stephenson an “I’ve been Pipped,” feeling.

For those too young to remember, Lou Gehrig started his then record 2,130 game streak of games played when Wally Pipp begged out of a game with a “headache”.

Sam Moll worked a scoreless inning on Tuesday night. Wade Miley at High A Dayton got 2 ⅓ innings in, giving up six runs on nine hits. The line was ugly but his 49 pitches are a key to his return.

The Chase is on.

Chase Burns, the Reds’ number one pick in the 2024 draft, will make his first start for Double A Chattanooga soon.

Chase Petty pitched six scoreless innings against the Iowa Cubs this morning.