Jul 28, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Isaac Paredes (17) fields a ground ball in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports Isaac Paredes will attempt to make an immediate impact for the Chicago Cubs when they open a three-game set with the host Cincinnati Reds on Monday night.
Paredes was sent to the Cubs on Sunday as part of a trade that saw fellow third baseman Christopher Morel and right-handers Hunter Bigge and Ty Johnson go to the Tampa Bay Rays. Bigge and Johnson were both prospects in the Chicago organization, and only Bigge had made his major league debut.
It’s a homecoming of sorts for Paredes, who spent time in the Cubs’ farm system in 2016 and 2017 before getting the call to the majors in 2020 with the Detroit Tigers.
“He’s always been a great player,” Chicago right-hander Javier Assad said of Paredes, a teammate of his in the minors. “The numbers speak for themselves. Everybody he goes up against, he always does really well. So happy for him.”
A first-time All-Star this season, Paredes hit .245 with 16 home runs and 55 RBIs through 101 games with Tampa Bay in 2024.
Right-hander Carson Spiers (3-2, 3.83 ERA) is scheduled to get the start for Cincinnati on Monday and will try to contain Paredes, who was in the lineup for all three weekend games against the Reds.
Spiers has been on the 15-day injured list due to a right shoulder impingement. He hasn’t pitched since July 12, when he earned a win against the Miami Marlins after giving up three runs on six hits in five innings.
In two career appearances (one start) against the Cubs, Spiers has not factored into a decision while recording a 2.79 ERA in 9 2/3 innings.
Getting Spiers back is another welcome sight for a Reds team that is slowly getting healthy again.
Cincinnati had outfielder TJ Friedl back in the lineup for its three-game series with the Rays, which ended with a 2-1 setback on Sunday. Catcher Luke Maile (back) and right-handers Ian Gibaut (forearm) and Emilio Pagan (lat) could also be back in the coming weeks.
And those returns can’t come soon enough for the Reds, who have dropped six of their past nine games to dim any hopes they had of being buyers at Tuesday’s trade deadline.
Second baseman Jonathan India has been especially frustrated after going 0-for-15 over Cincinnati’s past four games.
“I don’t really know what to say. It sucks,” India said. “I didn’t do well this series (against Tampa Bay). I’m frustrated with my performance in general. That’s where I’m at. When the leadoff guy doesn’t do their job, it’s tough to win games. That’s what you’re seeing.”
India will be looking to break out of his slump against Chicago right-hander Jameson Taillon (7-5, 2.96).
Taillon most recently had to settle for a hard-luck loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday. He yielded just one run and four hits in 7 1/3 innings, but the Cubs were blanked 1-0.
Monday marks Taillon’s 17th career start against the Reds. He is 5-5 with a 4.79 ERA vs. Cincinnati.
Chicago took two games in a three-game set with the Kansas City Royals over the weekend, winning 7-3 on Sunday. It is 4-5 since the All-Star break.
The Reds are 5-2 against the Cubs this year.
–Field Level Media
