CINCINNATI -- Joey Votto couldn’t have known he would break his thumb, but the Reds’ first baseman was certainly thinking ahead when he noticed rookie catcher Tyler Stephenson taking ground balls for fun with Tucker Barnhart at his position.

“It might have been a few weeks before he was actually injured. … Joey made a comment of ‘Hey, you probably should do it more often just because you never know.’ Then obviously, the injury happened,” Stephenson said on Wednesday.

Since Votto has been on the 10-day injured list since May 7 because of a fractured left thumb, Stephenson has been practicing at first base intently. He played one inning each in two games there this month, but Wednesday vs. the Giants marked the 24-year-old’s first professional start at first base.

Reds manager David Bell, who also batted Stephenson fourth in the lineup, felt he was ready to handle first base in a game.

“We just felt like he's ready,” Bell said. “Obviously, we know that he's never done it before, but taking everything into consideration for today and really for the long haul, we have to do it. We feel like it makes us a better team for having him experience that, and we feel like he's as ready as he can be.

“You can practice all you want, but [playing] the game is how he's going to get better at this point. We don't have the luxury of the whole Spring Training to do it. We have done everything we can to prepare. He’s done everything he possibly could do.”

Although unable yet to perform more than limited baseball activity, Votto was on the field with Stephenson on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon to go over positioning for hitters, what to do on bunt plays and more.

“It was pretty surreal,” Stephenson said. “He got out there and kind of went out of his way to help me and just [give me] some pointers and help me get familiar with some stuff. It was exciting. He was very helpful. It was fun.”

Stephenson is borrowing the first-base glove that belongs to Mike Moustakas. Utility players Alex Blandino and Kyle Farmer have borrowed the same glove this season.

“I just got one in the mail two days ago, and it’s not broken in yet,” Stephenson said.

Mostly a third baseman and second baseman when he played in the big leagues, Bell understands trying something new in a game setting. He logged 16 career games at first base -- with nine starts. He also found himself out of position in left field for three innings of one game with the Mariners when Lou Piniella sent him out there.

“I'd never even shagged fly balls, and he just decided that's what was best for that day,” Bell said. “I think those kinds of experiences took the stigma out of it a little bit. At the same time, I don't think it's easy.”

Garrett’s wife supplies more tattoos
A superhero temporary tattoo craze, started by 4-year-old Jeb Miley, has spread throughout the Reds’ clubhouse after his father, Reds lefty Wade Miley, threw a no-hitter at Cleveland on May 7 while wearing an Incredible Hulk temporary tattoo on his right forearm.

Amir Garrett’s wife supplied the clubhouse with more tattoos. Luis Castillo wore Hawkeye on Tuesday after Sonny Gray went with Thor on Monday.

“My wife decided, she was like, ‘I’m just going to send a whole bunch to the clubhouse for you guys,’” Garrett explained on Wednesday. “At the time, I was pitching pretty bad. She’s like, ‘You’re going to need like three of them.’ She was like, ‘Here, I’m going to send you extra.’ They just came to the clubhouse. I passed them out. I’m waiting for Jeb to get in here, so the powers can actually kick in, because I think he has to put it on you.”

Garrett wore a Hulk tattoo on Tuesday, but didn’t pitch.

“I had to take it off because that was Wade’s guy. I don’t know who I am going to wear yet,” Garrett said. “Maybe Ironman or something like that. I don’t know.”