--3B Edwin Encarnacion, sidelined for several days due to shoulder soreness, could return to action as soon as March 27. He is hitting .222 (6-for-27) this spring.
--SS Alex Gonzalez, trying to come back from a broken left knee, suffered a new injury March 23. He suffered a right hamstring strain while running out a grounder, and he is day-to-day. --OF/1B Daryle Ward and LHP Aaron Fultz, both trying to make the Reds as non-roster players, were released on March 23. Ward batted .250 (7-for-28) in Grapefruit League action. Fultz allowed two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings.
--OF/INF Jerry Hairston Jr. was scheduled to come back to the team after Mexico lost in the World Baseball Classic, but he came down with a virus and manager Dusty Baker told him to stay away. "I don't want him starting a plague in our clubhouse," Baker said.
--OF Jonny Gomes appears to have the team made after leading the team halfway through spring training with three homers and 10 RBIs.
--LHP Bill Bray, batting injuries for the third straight spring, gave up six runs, three hits and two walks in two-thirds of an inning March 18 against the Rays. He is in danger of being left behind when the club breaks camp.
--RHP Francisco Cordero, battling a foot injury at the end of last season, appears to still be favoring it. He gave up nine runs and 12 hits in his first three innings this spring.
BY THE NUMBER: 2 -- Remaining candidates for the No. 5 spot in the rotation, RHP Micah Owings and RHP Homer Bailey, down from five candidates when spring began.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I'm leaning toward keeping 12 pitchers, and I wish I could keep 14, but they won't let us expand the roster to 29." -- Manager Dusty Baker.
Play FOX Fantasy Baseball today
