CINCINNATI – After being shorthanded on the bench during two wins over the Yankees, the Reds placed outfielder/first baseman Connor Joe on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with hand, foot and mouth disease.
Infielder/outfielder Ryan Vilade was recalled from Triple-A Louisville to replace Joe on the active roster.
Joe last played on Saturday at St. Louis. Normally a childhood illness, hand, foot and mouth disease can cause fever, mouth sores and a skin rash, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Most people get better on their own within seven to 10 days.
“I’ve never heard of this, and I’ve got more kids than anybody," manager Terry Francona said. "It’s real, and I guess it’s really … his feet are killing him.”
Acquired in a May 9 trade from the Padres, Joe is batting .245 with a .631 OPS in 22 games for Cincinnati this season. Not only was he missing against the Yankees, but right fielder Jake Fraley was unavailable because of a sore left shoulder after banging into the wall making a leaping catch Monday night.
“We were staying away from him [Tuesday] night, so we were pretty short," Francona said.
Claimed off waivers from the Cardinals on June 14, the 26-year-old Vilade has logged 27 big league games with three clubs since 2021. In 54 games at Triple-A for Louisville and Memphis, he was batting .279 with seven home runs.