SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Not entirely sharp, but still healthy.

In his second spring start for the Reds on Sunday, Frankie Montas was roughed up by the Royals during a 7-3 loss at Surprise Stadium. Montas went 2 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk -- striking out one but giving up two home runs.

"… I didn’t really have my fastball command today. It was inconsistent," Montas said. "The difference for any pitcher is fastball command. I don’t see that as a tough thing. I see that as trying to get my pitches in."

Montas gave up a pair of two-out singles in the first inning, including a bloop hit that landed in front of diving left fielder Will Benson. After opening the second inning with Nick Pratto's broken-bat single and a walk, Montas escaped with a ground-ball double play and groundout.

Much harder contact came in the third inning. Bobby Witt Jr. launched a 3-2 pitch for a long solo homer to left-center field. After Salvador Perez lined a sharp single through the middle, MJ Melendez hit a first pitch homer to right field.

In his first outing on Tuesday against the Cubs, Montas threw two 1-2-3 innings. His fastball velocity in that game was largely in the 94-96 mph range. Against Kansas City, it was closer to 92-93 mph but reached 95 mph on his final pitch when Pratto lined a two-out single in the third inning.

"I was trying to start slowly and not be gassed out by the third inning," Montas said. "Even in the third inning, when I was pushing my arm to get some velo, I was still hitting 95 [mph]."

Montas, who was limited to just 1 1/3 innings last season with the Yankees while recovering from right shoulder surgery, has shown no health issues in camp.

“I thought he fatigued a little bit in the third inning, which is a normal part of the build-up," Reds manager David Bell said. "He grinded through it, but I was kind of anxious to get him out of there. I think when you take it to the next inning for the first time, sometimes you see that."

Benson's hit vs. LHP
Outfielder Will Benson notched his fourth spring hit, but the lefty hitter's third-inning RBI double to the gap in left-center field on Sunday was his first against a left-handed pitcher -- Daniel Lynch IV -- this spring.

“It’s big," Benson said. "It’s just more information for me to know, for me to calibrate.”

“That was a great swing," Bell said. "He just missed in the next at-bat too, maybe caught it off the end of a little bit. Two really good swings. I know he’s working extra hard on it now.”

Benson flied out to right field against Lynch in the fifth inning.

During his strong 2023 season for Cincinnati, Benson had limited opportunities vs. left-handers and did not fare well. He batted .146 with a .400 OPS and no homers in 44 plate appearances against lefties, but managed much with a .297 average, .938 OPS and all 11 homers over 285 plate appearances against right-handers.

Following a conversation with Bell and general manager Brad Meador, Benson has been taking opportunities to hit against Reds lefty pitchers in live batting practice sessions whenever possible.

“I requested that when I first showed up at Spring Training," Benson said. “If I’m going to be the best player that I know I can possibly be, I need to be playing regardless of who is on that mound. It’s good that they see I can do it."

Barrero's outfield work
With one out in the top of the second inning against Royals starter Michael Wacha, Jose Barrero launched a 1-0 pitch for a home run to left field, his first of spring.

Barrero, a former shortstop prospect, is trying to make the team's 26-man roster exclusively as an outfielder. He played right field Sunday against Kansas City, but has the ability to play all three outfield spots.

"I feel comfortable out there," Barrero said via translator Jorge Merlos. "I’m glad that this organization has been giving me the opportunity to play several different positions in my time here.”

Barrero, now 25 after breaking into the big leagues as a 22-year-old shortstop in 2020, is out of options. He's a .186 career hitter over 139 big league games over parts of four seasons.

Showing he can be a strong outfielder and an improved hitter will be keys for Barrero to have any chance of making the team.

“It’s the mentality I have to have going into this," Barrero said.