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The Cincinnati Reds will have to continue their climb in the NL Central without a key part of their lineup for some time.
Outfielder Nick Castellanos, who is hitting .329 with 18 home runs this season, was diagnosed with a microfracture in his wrist and could miss a couple weeks according to Jon Morosi. Castellanos revealed in an Instagram live he’s currently unable to swing a bat, but didn’t put a definite timetable on his return.
The Reds have been heating up in the last few months. They were 22-28 after a loss to the Chicago Cubs in late May but went 26-14 before a recent slide. Cincinnati is currently 49-47 after losing five of the last six games and is 6.5 games back in the Central. The team has a key stretch coming up against the St. Louis Cardinals and Cubs.
With Castellanos out, the Reds will likely rely on Tyler Naquin in the outfield. Shogo Akiyama and Aristides Aquino are also options for Cincinnati. The Reds entered Opening Day as the DraftKings Sportsbook favorites to win the Central, but are currently second at the book at +800.