Notes: Votto talks slump; Senzel's infield look

Much like earlier this month, Joey Votto has been hitting the ball hard with little to show for it. Like several hitters on the club, the Reds' first baseman isn’t getting much production.

Votto carried a season-high 0-for-12 skid into Monday’s game vs. the Dodgers in Los Angeles. The longest slump of his career is 0-for-19, set twice last season.

“Not a lot of results of late, but I’ve felt good all year,” Votto said. “The ball is coming off my bat harder. It’s just carryover from last year. I haven’t had a really good stretch yet. I had a three or four-game stretch. It’s very short. It’s very early in the year. I haven’t performed well. I need to play better, and I think that will come.”

In six games from April 12-18, Votto was 10-for-23 (.435) with three home runs that brought him to 299 for his career.

According to Statcast, the 37-year-old Votto is among MLB leaders in expected slugging percentage (.612), and he has a 46.2 percent hard-hit rate (balls with an exit velocity of 95 mph or more).

“We’re asked to do more than just do that,” said Votto, who did not start the series opener with Dodgers lefty Julio Urías on the mound. “The walks haven’t been there. I don’t like that. I just have to accept that it’s part of a long season. Certainly, not many hits, and that’s not good. That will have to change. Yeah, I’m happy when I take good swings and time pitches that the ball comes off well. I don’t feel like there’s a ballpark I can’t hit a deep ball out of.”

Senzel getting infield chances
An infielder in college and in the Minors, Reds center fielder Nick Senzel has taken ground balls at second base and third base at times, just in case. On Sunday in the eighth inning during a 5-2 loss to the Cardinals, Senzel moved from center field to second base -- the first time he’s done that this season and the second time in his career. He also filled in as a late replacement at third base once.

A move to the infield won’t be permanent, it appears. With the Reds carrying an extra arm in the bullpen, they are short on the bench with infielders. Utility players Kyle Farmer and Alex Blandino have taken turns filling in for Mike Moustakas while the third baseman has been on the injured list with an illness.

“I haven’t seen him a lot in the infield, hardly at all, but a lot of coaches like Freddie [Benavides] and Delino [DeShields] have seen Nick play the infield a lot. They know how good he was as an infielder,” Reds manager David Bell said. “We haven’t been really too hesitant to throw him out there, but in fairness to Nick, we thought it would make more sense if he took some more ground balls there every now and then just in case.

“No plans to have him start playing there more at this point, but it could come up any game. I think it’s good for outfielders to take ground balls. It’s good for infielders to take fly balls. It’s good for pitchers to get a variety of different work in also, so I think it’s good.”

Blandino has glove overload
Blandino started Monday at first base in place of Votto -- his fifth game of the season there but his first start. He owns four gloves, but he has yet to acquire his own first-base glove.

“I’m currently using Mike Moustakas’ first-baseman mitt, and then I’m borrowing an outfield glove as well,” Blandino said. “Every time I’m walking out, I’ve got like two bats, elbow guard, four gloves and I’m dropping stuff left and right. It’s kind of tough. I have my own little corner in the dugout where I have all my gloves and stuff. It takes up a little more space than maybe my allotment, but it is what it is. I’m ready to go anywhere.”