GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Even more important to the Reds now in light of an injury to primary catcher Tyler Stephenson is
During the fifth inning against the Diamondbacks on Friday, Trevino fouled the ball off his hands and immediately left the game. X-rays were inconclusive for a fracture, prompting Saturday's second test.\n\nTrevino, 32, did not have a wrap on his thumb Saturday morning and he said the swelling had reduced.\n\n\"I think he’s going to be fine,\" manager Terry Francona said Saturday morning. “He’s pretty upbeat. That’s probably the best sign.”
In the first moments after he was hurt, however, Trevino and the club were concerned. Just a few hours earlier, they learned that Stephenson would have to open the season on the injured list because of a left oblique strain.\n\n“A little nervous,\" said Trevino, who fractured the same thumb in 2020 during Spring Training. \"I just think the whole situation. Stephenson goes down and me going down, that’s tough. Even though we’ve got guys in this clubhouse that we can trust, obviously you want to be there for the guys.”\n\nLimited to 74 games last season for the Yankees, Trevino batted .215 with a .642 OPS and eight home runs. He lost his starting spot to rookie Austin Wells.
On Dec. 20, the Reds acquired Trevino in a trade that sent reliever Fernando Cruz to New York. He came to camp set to be the backup to Stephenson.\n\n“It’s unfortunate this happened to Stevo,\" Trevino said. \"At the same time, this is why the Reds brought me here. Somebody they can have confidence to go back there and go from there.”\n\nTrevino has plenty of experience with regular catching. In 2022, he played a career-high 115 games for the Yankees and earned his first All-Star nod.\n\nAfter the '22 season, Trevino was also awarded both Gold Glove and Platinum Glove awards for his defense. He's a favorite among pitchers and coaches for his ability to work with staffs.\n\n“Whatever they need me to do,\" Trevino said. \"The most important thing about a baseball team are the pitchers, the pitching staff in general. Those are the guys that make everything run. You need to be able to have somebody back there you can rely on.”
To back up Trevino until Stephenson returns, Cincinnati is planning on using non-roster catcher