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McLain went 2-for-4 with a run scored in Saturday's 2-0 win over the Rangers.
McLain singled in the top of the first inning and came around to score on an RBI single from Elly De La Cruz. After snapping an 0-for-13 skid Friday, McLain is 4-for-9 through two games against Texas this weekend. He's now slashing .267/.389/.300 with just one extra-base hit, one RBI, three runs scored, zero stolen bases and a 5:9 BB:K across 36 plate appearances to begin the 2026 season.
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Reds' Sal Stewart: Stays hot with two hits and RBI
Rotowire
Stewart went 2-for-4 with an RBI in Saturday's 2-0 win over the Rangers.
Cincinnati scored both of its runs in the top of the first inning against Kumar Rocker, as Elly De La Cruz singled home Matt McLain before Stewart singled home De La Cruz. Through eight games, Stewart is slashing .407/.529/.741 with three doubles, two home runs, four RBI, five runs scored and a 7:5 BB:K across 34 plate appearances.
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Reds' Emilio Pagan: Picks up third save Saturday
Rotowire
Pagan collected his third save in Saturday's 2-0 win over the Rangers, allowing one hit and two walks with one strikeout in a scoreless ninth inning.
Pagan walked Jake Burger to lead off the inning but got Joc Pederson to ground into a double play. Pagan then walked Josh Smith before Josh Jung reached on an infield single. Evan Carter then struck out to end the threat. Pagan's outings have been adventurous this season, as he owns an 8.44 ERA and 6:3 K:BB across 5.1 innings.
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Reds' Rhett Lowder: Shuts out Texas over six innings
Rotowire
Lowder (1-0) earned the win Saturday against the Rangers, allowing three hits and two walks with four strikeouts across six shutout innings.
It was Lowder's first major-league win since September of 2024, as he was limited to just five minor-league starts last season due to oblique and forearm issues. Lowder won a job in the Reds' rotation this spring, and the 24-year-old breezed through six shutout frames on 82 pitches. Through two starts this year, Lowder has a 1.64 ERA and 9:4 K:BB across 11 innings. He tentatively lines up to make his next start on the road versus the Marlins next week.
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Reds' Ke'Bryan Hayes: Sitting down Saturday
Rotowire
Hayes isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Rangers.
Hayes will take a seat Saturday and recollect himself after going just 2-for-19 (.105) at the dish through his first seven games. His absence will move Eugenio Suarez to third base, opening up the DH spot for Nathaniel Lowe.
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Reds' Tyler Stephenson: Resting Saturday
Rotowire
Stephenson isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Rangers.
After hitting the game-winning home run in the ninth inning of Friday's contest, Stephenson will take a seat on the bench to begin Saturday's game. Jose Trevino will get the nod at catcher and bat ninth.
McLain batted leadoff and went 2-for-5 in Friday's 5-3 win over Texas.
McLain, who moved from second in the order to leadoff with TJ Friedl getting a day off, snapped an 0-for-13 skid with a third-inning single. McLain had a monster spring training (1.540 OPS, seven HR), which carried into the first few games of the regular season, but the second baseman entered Friday's game batting just .190.
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Reds' Elly De La Cruz: Homers against lefty
Rotowire
De La Cruz went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 5-3 win over the Rangers.
De La Cruz took left-hander MacKenzie Gore deep in the sixth inning to give the Reds a brief lead. It was the switch hitter's third home run of the season and second as a right-handed batter against a lefty. Historically, De La Cruz has been more productive from the left side (.846 OPS) than the right (.616). Of his 63 career home runs, only 15 have come when batting from the right side.
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Reds' Tyler Stephenson: Plays hero Friday
Rotowire
Stephenson went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in Friday's 5-3 win over the Rangers.
Stephenson broke a 3-3 tie in the ninth inning with a two-run shot off Chris Martin that proved to be the game-winning homer. After opening the season 0-for-9, the 29-year-old has recorded hits in back-to-back games. While he's sat out two of the Reds' first seven contests, Stephenson went deep 13 times in 342 regular-season plate appearances last season and has posted a double-digit homer total in four of five years, with the outlier coming during an injury-riddled 2022 campaign.
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Reds' Spencer Steer: Goes deep in win
Rotowire
Steer went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, two RBI and two runs scored in Friday's 5-3 win over the Rangers.
Steer opened the scoring with a two-run homer in the second inning before adding a double in the ninth. It was a much-needed effort for the 28-year-old, who entered Friday just 1-for-17 through five games. While he dropped from 25 steals in 2024 to seven last season, Steer has tallied 20-plus homers in each of his three full campaigns and should see consistent playing time between the outfield and first base.
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Reds' Emilio Pagan: Converts second save
Rotowire
Pagan earned the save in Friday's 5-3 win over the Rangers, striking out one in a perfect ninth inning.
Pagan was called upon to protect a two-run lead in the ninth and did so on just 13 pitches. It marked the 34-year-old's first clean frame of the season and was a much-needed rebound after he allowed four runs in a non-save situation Wednesday. He's now 2-for-3 in save chances while allowing five earned runs through 4.1 innings.
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Reds' Brady Singer: Solid effort in no-decision
Rotowire
Singer did not factor into the decision in Friday's 5-3 win over the Rangers, allowing two runs on six hits and one walk with five strikeouts over five innings.
Singer surrendered two runs in the second inning but otherwise kept the Rangers in check despite allowing 12 hard-hit balls. He threw 58 of 87 pitches for strikes while generating just seven whiffs. While he's posted a solid 10:3 K:BB through two starts, the 29-year-old has yielded five earned runs over just nine innings. He lines up for a road matchup against the Marlins next week.
Friedl is absent from the lineup for Friday's game against the Rangers.
Friedl remained in the lineup the first two times the Reds faced a southpaw this season, but the left-handed hitter will take a seat Friday as the Rangers send MacKenzie Gore to the bump. Dane Myers will cover center field and bat second for Cincinnati.
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Reds' Nick Lodolo: Exits rehab start early
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Lodolo (blister) exited his minor-league rehab start with Single-A Daytona on Thursday in the third inning, Pat Brennan of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Lodolo was looking to move past the blister on his left index finger by making one start with Single-A Daytona, but the blister reared its ugly head with two outs in the top of the third, forcing the southpaw out of the contest. The hope was that the 28-year-old would be able to return to the Reds in the coming days, but that now appears to be unlikely. Lodolo retired all eight batters he faced in order Thursday, striking out four in the process, and he finished having thrown just 40 pitches when he was scheduled to throw between 60 and 65.
Lowe served as the designated hitter and went 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI in Wednesday's 8-3 loss to the Pirates.
Lowe made his first start of the season and managed to contribute against Pittsburgh righty Paul Skenes. When the left-handed Mason Montgomery relieved Skenes in the sixth inning, Lowe was replaced by a pinch hitter. With the hot-hitting Sal Stewart at first base and Eugenio Suarez at DH, there haven't been many opportunities for Lowe early in the regular season.
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Reds' Caleb Ferguson: Throws on flat ground
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Ferguson (oblique) threw from 60 feet on flat ground Wednesday, MLB.com reports.
Ferguson will join Cincinnati on its seven-game road trip that begins Friday in Texas before heading to Miami next week. Going out on the road with the team suggests the left-handed reliever is nearing a return, but the next step will be throwing off a mound.
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