The Reds had to put one of the league's hottest hitters on the disabled list Saturday after Devin Mesoraco suffered a strained left hamstring during a 5-4 loss in Atlanta the night before.
The 25-year-old catcher was injured rounding third base in the seventh inning. After falling down, he was able to get back up and touch home plate before exiting the game.
Mesoraco missed the beginning of the regular season because of a strained oblique but was red-hot upon making his 2014 Reds debut. In 13 games, the former first round draft pick hit .468 with three home runs and 13 RBIs.
Cincinnati recalled Tucker Barnhart from Triple-A Louisville to take Mesoraco's spot. He appeared in three games with the Reds while Mesoraco was on the DL initially, going 2-for-8.
The news was not all bad Saturday, however, as closer Aroldis Chapman continued his comeback from a scary preseason injury by throwing live batting practice without a protective screen.
Chapman throwing live BP WITHOUT a screen #Reds pic.twitter.com/XRmhmPlCb2
— Jim Day (@JimDayTV) April 26, 2014
Chapman, who was hit in the face with a line drive March 19 during spring training, also took the mound Wednesday but faced hitters behind a screen.
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