Reds to place Eugenio Suárez on injured list with oblique strain

TL;DR

Cincinnati Reds' Eugenio Suárez will be placed on the injured list due to an oblique strain, sidelining him for at least 10 days. JJ Bleday is expected to fill in as a replacement.

Key points

Eugenio Suárez is placed on the injured list.
The injury is an oblique strain.
JJ Bleday is expected to fill in for Suárez.
Suárez will be out for at least 10 days.
The Reds are leveraging roster flexibility.

Eugenio SuárezCincinnati RedsJJ BledayDetroit Tigers

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 25: Eugenio Suarez #7 of the Cincinnati Reds looks on and blows a bubble of gum against the Minnesota Twins on September 25, 2020 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Cincinnati Reds slugger Eugenio Suárez was a late scratch from the Friday evening lineup in the team’s series opener in Great American Ball Park against the Detroit Tigers. Nathaniel Lowe – who eventually ended up swatting a walk-off dinger – was moved into the DH spot for the game, and the initial hope was that it would merely be a one-off lineup change. As it turns out, though, Suárez is going to head to the injured list. The back problem is actually an oblique issue, albeit a hopefully minor one, and that’s going to land Geno on the shelf for at least 10 days. So said Terry Francona to Charlie Goldsmith last night. The Reds have not yet announced a corresponding roster move (or Suárez to the actual IL) just yet, but outfielder was removed from his game with AAA Louisville early on Friday evening. Bleday slugged 20 homers for as recently as 2024 and is off to a roaring start in AAA this year (.341/.462/.659 with 6 homers in 104 PA), and as replacements to the offense go, he’s about as good as one can hope for. Notably, Suárez hitting the shelf removes a corner infield option from the roster, and instead of backfilling with someone with experience there (such as ), Cincinnati’s front office is apparently turning to Bleday due to the flexibility of the rest of the roster. has spent more time in the outfield this year that in previous seasons, but he’s got experience all over the infield if need be. Lowe, too, is an accomplished 1B with a Gold Glove under his belt, and his ability to play there regularly would allow to play more 3B on days when Francona decides they actually need someone who can swing a bat there better than Ke’Bryan Hayes. That’s the beauty of building a roster with positional flexibility, I suppose. When one player goes down with injury, it allows the front office to select the best offensive option they can instead of having to go glove-first. My best guess is that you’ll see Lowe in the lineup at DH or 1B every time the team faces a RHP while Geno is on the shelf. That’s a pretty damn good insurance policy, as we witnessed just last night.

Q&A

How long will Eugenio Suárez be out due to his oblique strain?

Eugenio Suárez is expected to be sidelined for at least 10 days due to his oblique strain.

Who is replacing Eugenio Suárez on the Reds roster?

JJ Bleday is likely to replace Eugenio Suárez on the Reds roster after being removed from his AAA game.

What impact does Suárez's injury have on the Reds' lineup?

Suárez's injury removes a corner infield option, but the Reds are utilizing roster flexibility to maintain offensive strength.