Two years after the Cincinnati Reds traded Stuart Fairchild, he's on their big-league roster

NEW YORK – Stuart Fairchild was the new guy in the Cincinnati Reds’ clubhouse Tuesday, but nobody would ever know it by the number of players who yelled, “Stuuu” when they saw him at his locker.

Fairchild was called up from Triple-A Louisville before Tuesday’s series opener against the New York Yankees when Albert Almora Jr. was placed on the COVID-related injured list. Fairchild, a 26-year-old outfielder, was drafted by the Reds in 2017 and spent three years in the organization.

He was traded in 2020 to the Arizona Diamondbacks as part of the Archie Bradley trade, but the Reds added him back into the organization by claiming him off waivers in June.

“I knew he was going to get here,” Reds manager David Bell said. “I think he knew he was going to be a Red in the Major Leagues, but I don’t think either of us knew the path he was going to take to make it happen.”

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This was Fairchild’s seventh different clubhouse between the Major Leagues and the minor leagues this year. Capable of playing all three outfield positions, Fairchild has played in 20 big-league games with the Diamondbacks, Seattle Mariners and San Francisco Giants.

Since returning to the Reds’ organization, he’s been dominant at Louisville. He hit .315 over 20 games with seven homers, four doubles, 12 RBI and 18 runs scored.

“I’d say it’s a mix of comfort level, familiarity with the organization,” Fairchild said. “Being able to settle into a groove was a big part. They’re playing me almost every day and just letting me go basically, letting me do my thing. That’s a big help.”

Fairchild is known as a solid all-around player, though he doesn’t have any elite tool. He’s a solid defender with some power and some speed.

“I feel like in all facets of the game, I offer something,” Fairchild said. “Hopefully, I can get in there and help the team one way or another.”

When Fairchild was designated for assignment by the Giants on June 4, he was in limbo for about a week while sitting at home. The Giants tried to trade him for about five days, he said, before he was placed on waivers. He was “pumped” when he learned the Reds were the team that claimed him.

Some of that familiarity helped Fairchild at Louisville. He reunited with hitting coach Alex Peláez, who was his hitting coach at High-A Daytona.

“Something I found with my swing was I got back to being balanced,” Fairchild said. “I felt like earlier in the year when I was struggling a little bit, I was a little bit stuck on my back side. I was a little bit spinny, pulling off some balls that I should stay through better. I just got back to being balanced, 50-50, and that’s helped a lot.”

It says a lot, Fairchild said, that the Reds wanted him back after trading him nearly two years ago.

“There is a lot of perseverance that comes into play,” Bell said. “I think he’s just gotten better and better. We’ve had great reports. It’s really great to have him back in the organization. He’s definitely going to help our team. We know what he can do. He’s going to get some starts. He’s going to be a bat and a glove off the bench.”

FULL STRENGTH? For one of the first times all season, the Reds had one of the lineups they imagined on Opening Day.

Injuries have plagued the Reds all year, but Joey Votto returned to the lineup Tuesday after a seven-game absence because of back tightness. Tyler Naquin and Tyler Stephenson returned from the IL last week.

“This is it,” Bell said. “Even to a point where it’s tough to keep a couple of guys out of the lineup. It’s pretty deep. We have guys that all deserve to be starting, but it’s a good problem to have. It’s something our whole team has been really anxious to get everyone back just to see how good we can be.”

Brandon Drury is probably the one player who surprised into an everyday starting role compared to Opening Day expectations, but otherwise the Reds had regulars at every position.

“A good chunk of our team is back,” Bell said. “Over the last four or five days, it was still without Joey, so it’s great to have him back in the middle of our order. We’re clearly a better team with him in there.”

MAHLE ON TRACK: Tyler Mahle didn’t travel with the Reds on their road trip, but he threw at Great American Ball Park on Tuesday. Mahle is recovering from a right shoulder strain on the 15-day IL.

“Everything went great,” Bell said. “He had no issues. He’s on track (to return) for one of the first three games back from the break.”

UNIQUE ROSTER MOVE: Reds catcher Aramis Garcia, who was on the 10-day IL with a left middle finger sprain, was transferred to the COVID-related IL on Tuesday.

The move carries some significance because players on the COVID IL do not count toward the 40-man roster.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds roster: Stuart Fairchild replaces Albert Almora Jr.