CINCINNATI -- Reliever Burke Badenhop has turned his season around quite nicely, but when the Reds lead games in the eighth, the inning usually belongs to setup man J.J. Hoover.
During Thursday night's 5-4 loss to the D-backs, Badenhop entered the eighth with a one-run lead and allowed two runs that decided the game while Hoover remained behind the bullpen door. As for closer Aroldis Chapman? It was revealed postgame that he's been unavailable the last two games because of stiffness in his left shoulder.
"The game [Chapman] had the other day against Kansas City, he never was able to get loose," Reds manager Bryan Price said after the loss.