C. Trent tells us that the Reds have DL'd Josh Hamilton (presumably with that persistent and mysterious tummy ache) and have recalled Edwin Encarnación from AAA Louisville.

EdE will even get the start tonight. Juan Castro gets a well-earned rest. Now if only we could get a similar rest for Ross.

Reds
Ryan Freel CF
Alex Gonzalez SS
Ken Griffey, Jr RF
Brandon Phillips 2B
Jeff Conine 1B
Adam Dunn LF
Edwin Encarnación 3B
David Ross C
Kirk Saarloos P

Nats
Felipe Lopez 2B
Guzman SS
Zimmerman 3B
Dmitri Young 1B
Austin Kearns RF
Schneider C
Logan CF
Langerhans LF
Chico P

On an unrelated note, check out the photo of Chico on Reds.com. Dude couldn't look more baked. Though I'm sure he's just naturally mellow.

Oh happy day! The Reds have finally taken care of the bullpen!

From C. Trent:

Edwin Encarnacion has been optioned to Louisville and the Reds called up Jeff Keppinger.
….
Wayne said Eddie was initially shocked, but left knowing that it was a chance for him to get better. Wayne also said, “he's still a big part of our future.”

Freel will get much of the playing time at third, with Keppinger playing second and third as well.

Edwin wasn't in the clubhouse. Keppinger was. He said he was called last night and was ready to be here today. They'd been on a 10-day roadtrip, so his bags were already packed. He's wearing No. 27, which is better than the 74 he wore in spring training.

The Reds made room for Jared Burton, who was coming off the DL, by putting Eric Milton on the DL. From Reds.com:

The Reds placed starting pitcher Eric Milton on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained left elbow on Wednesday.

Reliever Jared Burton was recalled from his injury rehabilitation assignment and was reinstated from the 15-day DL. Burton had been out since April 8 with a strained left hamstring.

Milton gave up four earned runs and seven hits over 5 1/3 innings in Tuesday's 7-6 loss to the Astros.

“He just went in after the game and complained about it a little bit,” Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky said. “As a precaution, we had the MRI at Dr. Kremchek's.”

I'd love for someone to come up on Sunday and make an impact, though--as we've said before--Milton hasn't actually been all that horrible.

Yet more from the same story:

Milton is 0-4 with a 5.17 ERA in six starts this season. The team did not announce a replacement starter for Sunday's game at Los Angeles, but Krivsky said he was considering pitchers on the current staff or looking to Triple-A Louisville. While lefties Phil Dumatrait and Bobby Livingston are performing well at Louisville and are on the 40-man roster, this could be an opening to promote top pitching prospect Homer Bailey.

Baily? Really? Is there yet a person out there who's been willing to say he's ready? I mean, don't we have enough high hopes turned to disappointments already?

w00t! There's news!!

From C. Trent:

The Cincinnati Reds today acquired RHP Marcus McBeth as part of yesterday's deal that sent OF Chris Denorfia to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for 2 players to be named later and cash considerations.

McBeth, 26, is scheduled to report to the Reds' Class AAA affiliate in Louisville tomorrow. He is the 48th player acquired by executive vice president and general manager Wayne Krivsky since he was hired on February 8, 2006.

McBeth had been the closer at Class AAA Sacramento all season (8g, 1-0-5, 1.80, 10ip, 7h, 3r, 2er, 2hr, 1hbp, 3bb, 6k, .200oba). Last year, he combined to finish 3-3 with a 3.07 ERA in 59 appearances at Class A Stockton, Class AA Midland and Sacramento and ranked fifth among all minor leaguers with 32 saves.

I'm still hardly super-psyched to be saying goodbye to Denorfia for this fella, but I hope that once he makes it up to the team that he'll change my mind. In the meantime, it's just so exciting to have something new to talk about.

But wait, there's more!

And Cormier DFA'd and Salmon called up.

“Salmon has pitched well and we think he deserves the promotion,” Krivsky said.

Best of luck to you, young Brad Salmon. We're counting on you to make it all better. But no pressure or anything.

Alex Gonzalez, the defensive expert that the Reds brought in this off-season to replace Felipe Lopez, rejoined the team yesterday after spending five days in Miami with his hospitalized seven-month-old son, according to Reds.com:

Gonzalez's return doesn't mean all the news is good back at the hospital. Johan is scheduled to have surgery for his undisclosed ailment. It is possible the boy could be transported to have the operation performed at Children's Hospital in Cincinnati.

I can't even imagine how frightening and painful it must be to be away from his family for Gonzalez during this. When my son had to spend the night in the oxygen tent in the hospital when he was three, he was older and his condition not as apparently serious as little Johan's, but I could hardly take it.

I hope that everything works out OK and that an excellent season makes a good get-well present.

While Gonzalez was on bereavement leave, Enrique Cruz took his place with the team. He was DFA'd again to make room.