CINCINNATI -- Kyle Waldrop was out to dinner with family Saturday evening in Indianapolis. He has an aunt and cousins who live there, so Waldrop's parents and grandparents flew in for a reunion and to watch him play for the Louisville Bats, the Reds' Triple-A Minor League affiliate, play the Indianapolis Indians.
Dinner was interrupted by a phone call, but it was one of those calls you don't want to miss.
It was a call telling Waldrop he was being called up to the big leagues. The fact that his wife and family were present made it all the better.
"It happened to be perfect timing," said Waldrop Sunday morning as he sat at his locker inside the Reds clubhouse at Great American Ball Park.
The outfielder takes the place of Scott Schebler, who was optioned to Louisville after Saturday night's 13-7 loss to Milwaukee. Manager Bryan Price said he wants Schebler to get a chance to play and hit every day, something that's not going to happen in Cincinnati with Adam Duvall having cemented his role as the starting left fielder. Waldrop will find himself in the same role as Schebler was with the Reds: coming off the bench.
"He's another guy that I wouldn't want to have here, long-term, solely as a bench player," said Price. "I hope that I'm able to periodically get him some starts, but in the same respect, I can't guarantee that."
Waldrop, 24, made his Major League debut on Aug. 2 last season, striking out in his only plate appearance during a four-day stint with the Reds. He played in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game last summer when it was played at GABP. He was the Reds' Minor League Hitter of the Year in 2014.
A groin injury hampered Waldrop after he received his first invite to Major League Spring Training camp. He played in just three games for the Reds before being sent to the Minor League camp. His season at Louisville got off to a slow start; he was hitting .178/.224/.244 with one home run and three RBIs through the first 13 games. He had just 11 total bases in his first 34 at-bats.
In his last 13 games, Waldrop hit safely in 11 of them, with three home runs, eight RBIs and 24 total bases in 47 at-bats. He raised his season slash line to .228/.294/.380 in that time.
"I just went back to just keeping it simple, not overanalyzing stuff and trying to see the ball, hit the ball," said Waldrop. "Just put together good at-bats and be patient. That's been the difference so far."
Around the horn
Pitchers Homer Bailey and Jon Moscot are still being limited to playing catch as they attempt to come back from recent injury setbacks. Bailey was shut down after experiencing tightness in his surgically repaired right elbow following his last rehab assignment on April 26. Price said Bailey is on a schedule to play catch every other day.
Moscot, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list this week with inflammation in his left (non-throwing) shoulder, has no timetable for a return, said Price.
"I don't know if it's a shoulder in spasm, but it's really locked up and tight, really pinching," said Price. "It's very uncomfortable, and we haven't been able to get sustained relief. Until we do, he's not going to pitch."