Cincinnati Reds lefty Brent Suter leaves Friday’s game at Washington with shoulder strain

WASHINGTON – A rough night in the nation’s capital for the Cincinnati Reds accidentally took a turn for the worse in the bottom of the sixth inning when left-hander Brent Suter was forced to leave the game with shoulder tightness.

“I really, really hope it’s a day-to-day thing, and that’s what I’m expecting,” said Suter, who was working to arrange an MRI for Saturday. “We’ll see what happens.”

Suter, who said he felt a twinge in the dugout when he threw a changeup while warming up, said it never got worse while throwing to the two batters he faced.

He said he had a similar problem in 2020 during “summer camp” before the pandemic-shortened season began in late July, but he threw again after a few days and didn’t miss a game.

“It was pretty much the same place,” he said, adding that he wanted to finish the sixth Friday night. “I hope it will be the same here.”

Suter, who leads the Reds with 48 1/3 innings of relief this season, left the game after covering the first on a ball hit to right to lead off the Nationals’ sixth. His velocity was down by then, and the coach, manager and pitching coach went to the mound to find out why.

Buck Farmer took over.

Suter has a 3.68 ERA in 38 plate appearances this season.

The Reds already trailed 7-1 at that point, thanks to a two-run homer by Keibert Ruiz and a three-run shot by Juan Yepez off starter Frankie Montas. The deficit grew to 8-1 before he rallied in the ninth to score four times and tie the run at the plate on Elly De La Cruz’s pinch hitter to second to end the game.

The Reds try to have a strong buying position at the July 30 trade deadline as they open their schedule after the All-Star break with a nine-game road trip through Washington, Atlanta and Tampa Bay.

“Disappointing for me and the team to start the second half,” Suter said. “But what a great comeback from the boys. Good momentum for tomorrow.”

This article originally appeared on the Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds LHP Brent Suter leaves game with tight shoulder