Tyler Callihan, the Cincinnati Reds’ third-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, was pulled from the Louisville Bats’ game against the Memphis Redbirds after receiving a life-changing call.
Manager Pat Kelly informed the 24-year-old Florida native that he was headed to the majors. “It was unreal. You work for this your whole life. It’s just an incredible moment,” said a beaming Callihan, who was excited to share the moment with his Triple-A teammates.
He quickly contacted his family, and within hours, his parents had booked flights while his wife, already in Louisville, began the drive to Cincinnati. “I called them right away,” Callihan said. “I should have about 10 people coming to see me.”
Reds manager Terry Francona slotted Callihan directly into the lineup for the first game of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals, batting him eighth and starting him in left field.
Although primarily a second and third baseman, Callihan’s versatility impressed Francona. “He’s done really well at Triple-A. Being able to move him around is a big plus,” said Francona. “He’s a great kid and can definitely help us out.”
Callihan had been performing well, batting .303 with a .410 on-base percentage and .528 slugging in 24 games for Louisville, including four home runs and 12 RBIs. He also had a solid stint in the Arizona Fall League, hitting .263 while making up for time lost to injuries.
In his MLB debut, Callihan flew out and grounded out before being pinch-hit for in the eighth inning of a tight 1-0 game. He was stepping in for outfielder Austin Hays, who was nursing a hamstring issue.
Francona said an MRI revealed minor inflammation and that the team is trying to avoid putting Hays on the injured list if possible. “We’re managing it carefully. He’s important to our lineup, and we don’t want to make it worse,” Francona explained, comparing the situation to Matt McLain’s recent injury.
Meanwhile, infielder Jeimer Candelario was placed on the 10-day IL due to his own injury. “We don’t have a set timeline. We just need to let the inflammation subside and go from there,” Francona added.
