Manager David Bell returns to Cincinnati Reds after one-game absence

PHILADELPHIA – Cincinnati Reds Manager David Bell was well rested when he returned to the team Saturday after a one-game absence, something he couldn’t say for much of the spring.

Bell dealt with neck and shoulder pain throughout spring training. After speaking with Dr. Andrew Razzano from Beacon Orthopaedics, he flew to Cincinnati on Thursday to have the area examined.

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“It just gradually got worse, worse, worse to the point where I wasn’t sleeping the last week,” said Bell, the fifth-year manager. “(Wednesday) was really bad. I walked around my room the entire night and didn’t sleep for a minute.”

Bell says he went about six days in a row where he didn’t sleep for more than an hour because of the pain. An MRI quickly identified the issue.

“They found a cyst that was sitting on a nerve,” Bell said. “It was all nerve pain I was feeling.”

The cyst was removed Friday, which caused Bell to miss the team’s first road game of the season.

“Now it’s all the way better,” Bell said Saturday. “It’s amazing the level of care. To have it at Beacon, they have incredible doctors. It took them like 10 minutes to do and all of a sudden, I’m better. I’m really grateful for that. I flew here (Wednesday) thinking it would just get better. I was trying some other things but it kept getting worse. They came through for me and took care of it. I feel completely better. I slept great last night. I’m ready to go.”

Bell watched the Reds’ 5-2 loss to the Phillies in their series opener from his home as bench coach Freddie Benavides served as the acting manager.

“I was sitting around with family,” Bell said. “They’re going about their day like a normal day. It was just the oddest feeling. They’re really into the games and everything, but it’s just weird sitting there. At one point, Kristi, my wife, goes, ‘You seem anxious. Are you anxious?’

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‘Yeah. Actually, I am very anxious.’ It’s just a totally different experience trying to be calm. I think when you’re in it, you can pace around a little bit. Just sitting there trying to act normal was odd.”

Graham Ashcraft’s next start moved to Monday

The Reds swapped Connor Overton and Graham Ashcraft in their rotation order, moving Overton to Sunday’s series finale in Philadelphia and Ashcraft to Monday in Atlanta.

Ashcraft, previously scheduled to pitch Sunday, threw a bullpen session Friday at Citizens Bank Park.

“Perfectly healthy,” Bell said. “Obviously, he’s pitching great. We feel like splitting the group up the way we did is the best way to do it – to line those five guys up. A lot of it had to do with him being able to get in a good side in (Friday).”

The Reds are now scheduled to start Ashcraft, Luis Cessa (Tuesday) and Hunter Greene (Wednesday) against Atlanta.

Luke Weaver, Lucas Sims to begin rehab assignments

The Reds expect to have two pitchers begin rehab assignments Sunday. Luke Weaver is scheduled to throw four innings at Triple-A Louisville and Lucas Sims is scheduled to pitch one inning out of the bullpen.

Weaver was delayed for one week in camp when he felt forearm discomfort after pitching in a minor league game, a day when he threw more sliders. The Reds want the 29-year-old Weaver to build up his innings before he joins their starting rotation.

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Sims dealt with a back spasm during spring training, which cost him a chance to be on the Opening Day roster. The spasm was in an area unrelated to Sims’ back pain last year when he was sidelined for most of the season.

The Reds have three players currently on a rehab assignment at Louisville: Joey Votto, Nick Senzel and Tony Santillan. Votto entered Saturday with three hits in 20 at-bats (.150 batting average), one homer, three walks and 12 strikeouts. It’s possible Votto may not join the Reds until their next homestand, which begins Thursday versus Philadelphia.

“I know that physically, he feels good,” Bell said of Votto. “We’ve been staying in touch, and he feels like he’s getting closer. He feels like his shoulder is feeling better and better. His body is catching up to the speed of the game. That’s how he described it. I know that’s why he’s there, for that to happen. It sounds like he’s getting close.”

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: David Bell: Why the Cincinnati Reds Manager missed game vs. Phillies