Cade Cavalli set to make MLB debut as Reds visit Nats

Two teams playing out the string and playing prospects for the rest of the season open a three-game weekend series Friday night when the Cincinnati Reds visit the Washington Nationals.

The Nationals hope that Friday's starter Cade Cavalli is part of their rebuild. The right-hander will make his major league debut against a depleted Cincinnati lineup.

Washington manager Dave Martinez announced Wednesday that Cavalli, one of the organization's top prospects, would be called up from Triple-A Rochester to start the series opener against Cincinnati.

The 24-year-old pitcher was 6-4 with a 3.71 ERA and 104 strikeouts in 97 innings over 20 starts for Rochester this year.

"We're excited," Martinez said. "He's checked a lot of boxes. And, with that being said, like I say with all the young guys, part of the process is patience, so we're going to get him up here and get him going and see how he does. But he's done well in Rochester, really well, as the numbers will indicate.

"We'll get him up here and he'll get an opportunity to start here for us for the last five, six weeks of the season."

The Reds will counter with veteran lefty Mike Minor (2-10, 6.44), who is coming off his first win in over two months when he scattered nine hits and five runs over 5 2/3 innings last Sunday against the Pirates to earn a 9-5 victory in Pittsburgh.

Minor had lost a career-high eight straight decisions over 10 straight starts since his only other win on June 13 at Arizona. He was 0-8 with a 6.02 ERA in those 10 starts.

Minor will be making his 15th start of the season and 13th career start against Washington, against whom he is 3-4 with a 4.91 ERA lifetime.

Before Thursday's game, the Reds placed right-hander T.J. Zeuch on the 15-day IL with back soreness, calling up right-hander Dauri Moreta from Triple-A Louisville.

Cincinnati second baseman Jonathan India had an MRI on his sore left leg that showed lingering tissue damage from getting hit in the "Field of Dreams" game on Aug. 11. India was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning Wednesday in Philadelphia because of recurring soreness to his lower left leg.

"Unfortunately, he's still feeling it," Reds manager David Bell said. "Early in the day, he feels great. Then by the end of the game, the pressure of being on his feet all day, it's throbbing and really hurting him. It takes a lot to get him out of the game. I'm glad he got the trainers involved and we were able to get him out of there. We're really going to have to be careful with that."

Bell said India was available off the bench Thursday in the series finale vs. Philadelphia, but India did not appear in the game.

Zeuch allowed six earned runs over 2 2/3 innings in Wednesday's 7-5 loss to the Phillies, reporting upper back pain in the third inning of his start. Moreta, who is in his third stint this season, is 0-2 with a 5.97 ERA in 31 games and pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings Thursday.

The Reds enter the series against the Nationals after getting swept in a four-game series by the Phillies and stand 2-5 on their 10-game, three-city road trip while the Nationals open a six-game homestand against the Reds and Oakland A's.