Dietrich asks for, gets release from Reds

CINCINNATI -- The Reds announced on Monday that utility player Derek Dietrich exercised the out clause in his contract and was granted his release.

Dietrich, 31, had just rejoined the team on Wednesday after he tested positive for COVID-19, though he had no serious symptoms and went on to receive two negative tests at least 24 hours apart.

Reds manager David Bell chatted with Dietrich when he first returned, and he was told that if an opportunity to sign with another club came that Dietrich might take it.

“He knew there was an opportunity here, but it wasn’t going to be from Opening Day,” Bell said. “We really believed that he needed a little bit more time than that. I’m happy for Derek, very happy for him. Really grateful for the relationship, personally, I was able to build with him. A good person, very good player. He became a big part of our team.

“He’ll definitely be missed, but I’m happy for him if he has another opportunity. He’s definitely a Major League player, I get it. He wanted that to happen as quick as he could.”

Dietrich is free to sign with any of the other 29 clubs. Under the roster rules in place this year, he would be unable to return to Cincinnati if there were no other offers.

During his lone season with the Reds in 2019, Dietrich batted .187/.328/.462 with 19 home runs and 43 RBIs in 113 games. The lefty hitter slugged 18 homers before the All-Star break and endured a second-half swoon in production, batting .071 with one homer.

Much of the time, Dietrich battled a sore left shoulder, and he had arthroscopic surgery to debride it on Sept. 27.

The Reds took him off the 40-man roster after the season, but they signed him to a Minor League contract on March 1 and brought him to camp as a non-roster player.

Suárez ready
Because he was rehabilitating his surgically repaired right shoulder at Spring Training, Reds third baseman Eugenio Suárez would not have been ready for the original Opening Day on March 26. That won’t be a problem, now that the opener is against the Tigers on Friday.

“My body feels very good,” Suárez said on Monday. “My mental toughness is strong. I feel very good, so excited. Four days until Opening Day. I can’t wait to put everything together on the field. I feel so good with my body and my shoulder. Everything feels very good, so I’m ready. I can’t wait.”

Bell impressed by Raley
Bell was pleased that he could inform non-roster lefty pitcher Brooks Raley on Sunday that his contract was selected and he would make the Opening Day roster.

Raley, 32, last pitched in the Major Leagues for the Cubs in 2013, and he spent the previous five seasons pitching in Korea.

“First of all, what a great accomplishment,” Bell said on Monday. “Had a nice career in Korea. That was a great message to deliver. He was extremely happy. He should be very happy with himself for staying with it. He came in and impressed us. He’s always had the ability to get right-handers out, as well as left-handers. That’s a nice addition given the new [three-batter minimum] rule this year. He has the ability to have length out of the bullpen, but he could come in and pitch big innings late in the game. Very valuable.”

Up next
The Reds will have their first exhibition game since the shutdown when they face the Tigers at 6:40 p.m. ET on Tuesday at Great American Ball Park. Top prospect Nick Lodolo is scheduled to start for Cincinnati, which will play Detroit twice before facing the Tigers again to begin the regular season on Friday.

“We will have a daily schedule that mimics our in-season schedule,” Bell said. “I’d like guys to go deep into the games -- at least one of the games. May get them out earlier Wednesday, then we’ll have a light workout Thursday. We didn’t know if we’d be ready at this point. But we feel very ready to go.”