C. Trent Rosecrans

crosecrans@enquirer.com

ST. LOUIS – J.J. Hoover picked up his first save as the Reds’ closer on Saturday, but he gave up a two-run home run and had the winning run at the plate after inheriting a three-run lead.

Hoover, who has taken over for the departed Aroldis Chapman, has given up eight runs (seven earned) and two home runs in five appearances and just 3 ⅔ innings this season. That’s an ERA of 17.18.

Reds manager Bryan Price is sticking with him, though.

“He’s not throwing the ball the way that he’s capable of,” Price said. “But he’s joining a club with a lot of members. I don’t mean any disrespect by that but we’re not throwing the ball as well as we’re capable of. It will get better.”

As Price noted, there’s not a lot of options on the current roster if he were to replace Hoover. All eight members of the bullpen have now allowed at least one run, as both Caleb Cotham and Blake Wood, the last holdouts, were scored on Saturday. Cotham’s run was unearned.

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Wood has closed in the minors as has Jumbo Diaz, but he’s also struggled, giving up two homers of his own in seven games.

Price said Hoover is getting adjusted to being the closer, something anyone else who stepped into the role would have to do, as well.

“There’s definitely going to be a different feeling entering the game in a save situation as opposed to coming in the eighth or seventh,” Price said. “To match up with one hitter, maybe get two outs instead of three. He needs to get acclimated to it. He’ll get better.”

The Reds only have one other reliever on the 40-man roster, right-hander Stephen Johnson.

Brandon Finnegan has pitched in high-leverage situations in relief, but he’s 1-0 with a 2.04 ERA in three starts.

Last season Michael Lorenzen, a closer in college, pitched well in relief. He’s currently on the disabled list in Arizona trying to come back from an elbow injury and mononucleosis. The current plan is to have him stretch out to return to the rotation, but that could take at least a month based on his time out. If the team wanted, he could return to the bullpen to be used as a one-inning closer much more quickly.

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