Reds activate Lamb to start in place of Moscot vs Giants

May 3, 2016 - 9:44 PM CINCINNATI (AP) The Reds activated left-hander John Lamb off the disabled list on Tuesday to start the second game of a series against the San Francisco Giants, the latest rotation move prompted by injury.

Scheduled starter Jon Moscot still had soreness in his non-throwing shoulder.

Lamb made 10 starts for the Reds last season, going 1-5 with a 5.80 ERA. He had surgery on a back disc last December and made three rehabilitation starts for Triple-A Louisville, giving up 14 earned runs in 13 2/3 innings. The Reds had planned on him making at least one more start.

''Desperate times sometimes take desperate measures,'' manager Bryan Price said. ''It might be a little earlier than we'd hoped, but the need's there with Moscot.''

To open a roster spot, the Reds optioned right-hander Drew Hayes to Louisville. Hayes pitched during a 9-6 loss to the Giants on Monday night and gave up three hits, including Brandon Crawford's three-run homer in the seventh inning.

Cincinnati's bullpen gave up runs for the 20th consecutive game, tying the 2013 Rockies for the major league record since 1900.

Moscot (0-2) dislocated his left shoulder last June in a collision on the bases and had surgery. The shoulder bothered him in his last start, and the Reds decided to give him a couple more days to recover. Price said that if Moscot's shoulder is fine in the next few days, he could pitch out of the bullpen.

The Reds don't want to rush any of their young pitchers from the minors, leaving them with few options for improving the bullpen. They traded closer Aroldis Chapman to the Yankees as part of their rebuilding in the offseason.

''It's miserable from a personal standpoint, but I knew what I was getting into when we started the season, what we all were getting into when we started the season,'' Price said. ''We knew there was going to be some growing pains.

''It's painful at times.''

The Reds are hoping they don't have to put Moscot on the disabled list along with the Reds' top three starters. Opening day starter Raisel Iglesias went on the 15-day DL on Sunday with a sore right shoulder. Right-handers Homer Bailey and Anthony DeSclafani had setbacks last week in their rehab assignments and won't throw for a while. Bailey is recovering from Tommy John surgery a year ago, and DeScalfani strained an oblique during spring training.

An MRI on Monday found that catcher Devin Mesoraco has a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder, his second significant injury in two seasons. A hip problem wiped out most of his 2015 season and required surgery. Mesoraco said on Tuesday that surgery hasn't been scheduled.

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