Jose Barrero leaves Cincinnati Reds game with right hamstring tightness
Jose Barrero, starting in center field for the first time since the 2021 season, exited in the second inning Monday with a right hamstring tightness.
Barrero stretched the area of his right hamstring during his first at-bat of the game between pitches. After he hit a ground ball single through the left side of the infield, he continued to stretch his hamstring between pitches on the base paths.
After two pitches to the next batter, TJ Friedl, Manager David Bell and trainer Sean McQueeney walked onto the field to check on Barrero. After a conversation that lasted around a minute, Barrero returned to the dugout and was replaced by Jason Vosler.
Barrero appeared to say "I can do it" when he was speaking with Bell, but the manager and trainer both tapped Barrero to signal it was time to leave the game. Barrero's second-inning single was his first hit of the season in eight at-bats.
"If he was playing short, probably would have left him in," Bell said. "Playing a new position, I was already aware of making sure he was stretched out enough and wasn’t too much too quick in the outfield. It was precautionary. He really wanted to stay in the game, but it was a little bit tight. He did a lot of work in center this afternoon. I think it’s just as simple as that."
McQueeney already cleared Barrero to play Tuesday, Bell said, so the Reds are confident they pulled him out of the game before it potentially turned into a significant injury.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds vs. Cubs game: Jose Barrero exits with hamstring tightness
