Schebler may return to lineup for season finale

CINCINNATI -- The Reds came into their final series of the season limping, but they might have something to look forward to for the season finale Sunday.
Although he hadn't played since Thursday due to a left hamstring injury, right fielder Scott Schebler is looking like he'll be able to suit up and start Sunday, and he came off the bench in Saturday's 7-4 win over the Cubs, grounding out in a pinch-hit appearance in the sixth.
"[I'm] hoping that Schebler will be ready to go tomorrow for a start," Reds manager Bryan Price said. " ... I think I'd like to get him in there tomorrow in the finale."
The Reds began the season with a rash of injuries, and they are ending it the same way. Second baseman Brandon Phillips has both been out since the end of September dealing with what an MRI Friday revealed to be a deep bone bruise in his left hand.
Phillips still hasn't been able to swing a bat and won't play until he can, but Price didn't rule out using him in some way.
"He's actually more of a pinch-run option at this point in time," Price said. " ... Until he can swing the bat, he obviously won't be in the lineup or be a valuable bench bat."
Also on the shelf is fourth outfielder Tyler Holt, who hasn't played since Thursday with a left wrist injury. The situation got so dire in St. Louis that Price planned to use Michael Lorenzen as a hitter in the 10th inning Thursday before the Cardinals hit a walk-off double.
As a result, the Reds claimed corner infielder and corner outfielder Patrick Kivlehan, who joined the team in Cincinnati on Friday. Kivlehan, a career .282 hitter in the Minors, has exchanged teams four times since the end of last season. With the Padres, his previous team, he logged a .250 average over 16 at-bats.
Kivlehan started Saturday for Schebler in right field, and he had a pinch-hit appearance for the Reds on Friday.
"I got put on the roster by the Mariners in November last year and then traded to the Rangers, like, a week later and then designated by them in May, traded back to Seattle, designated by them Aug. 1, claimed by the Padres. I was in Triple-A for a while, went up for a week, came back down, finished the year there, designated there and now here we are," Kivlehan said. "So yeah, it's been a crazy 2016."