Moustakas feeling good, back at third base

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- With the departures from last year’s lineup, the Reds will badly need offensive production to make up for the losses. It would be a big boost for the club if one of the players who picked up the slack was third baseman Mike Moustakas.

With two years of his four-year, $64 million contract completed, Moustakas has yet to find a sustained groove for Cincinnati. In 106 games combined over 2020-21, he owns a .217/.304/.413 slash line with 14 home runs. He missed 85 games over three injured list stints last season. Most of the injuries were related to a right heel contusion, but he also dealt with plantar fasciitis on the same foot near the end of the season.

Moustakas, 33, spent the offseason getting himself right again.

“It was good,” Moustakas said. “Getting hurt is no fun. Trying to play hurt is even less fun. Once I was able to start moving around, getting on my feet a lot more and able to do a lot more -- it was obviously a challenging offseason, but I had fun. I worked hard and I’m happy to be back here ready to go.”

Heading into camp, Moustakas didn’t have a settled position. But on March 14, third baseman Eugenio Suárez and outfielder Jesse Winker were traded to the Mariners. That put Moustakas back at his natural spot at third base.

“It feels good. I am happy to be back at third base," Moustakas added. "Obviously, we are going to miss the guys that were traded -- Geno, Wink, Sonny [Gray], Amir [Garrett] -- all those guys. That’s part of the business. It’s going to be fun playing over there [at third base] again, where I’m obviously the most comfortable.”

A three-time All-Star, Moustakas hit 35 homers for the Brewers in 2019.

Moustakas returned to the lineup for Sunday’s 4-4 tie against the Rockies and went 0-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch as the designated hitter after he missed a few days with a sore left shoulder. On Tuesday vs. the Dodgers, he landed hard on the shoulder while attempting a diving stop.

“He has been on a World Series team, and he has so much to offer and so much to add,” manager David Bell. “He already has, but there’s something different when you’re on the field all the time. I know that’s his goal. He’s going to bring that presence every day.

“I’d like him to play as many as he possibly can because he’s a good player who adds a lot to our lineup. If he’s healthy, he’s going to be a big part of our team in the middle of our lineup.”

Cessa makes spring debut
Reliever Luis Cessa appeared in a Cactus League game for the first time this spring -- and his career -- on Sunday, when he pitched a scoreless fifth inning with one strikeout. It included a one-out infield single and a two-out walk. Cessa got out of the inning with a groundout to second base.

“First outing, I used a lot of fastballs,” Cessa said. “I was working on my fastball command and throwing a lot of fastballs. Just tried to be ready. I’m trying to figure out the command [and] have the rhythm for the next outing.”

Cessa, who was acquired from the Yankees at the Trade Deadline last season, is expected to be a key member of the back end of Cincinnati’s bullpen in 2022.

There were no injuries behind Cessa not getting into games sooner and he believes that he's had enough time to be ready for Opening Day. He planned to meet with pitching Derek Johnson about getting more work.

“I would like to pitch more in between days just to be ready for the season,” Cessa said. “I have maybe three more outings. I want to pitch here, or in the Minor Leagues or a simulated game or whatever. I need to have the rhythm for my pitches, and I will start to be ready.”

Pham getting ready
Officially signed by the Reds on Saturday to a one-year, $7.5 million contract with a mutual option for 2023, left fielder Tommy Pham could be a couple of days from making his spring debut.

“He’s going to get Minor League at-bats,” Bell said. “He got them yesterday. He’s going to get them today and tomorrow. Then he’ll likely be in one of our games by Tuesday. He’s going to have time. He came into camp in great shape. It’s just a matter of seeing live pitching, really, at this point.”