Replace on Nick Castellanos and Alejo Lopez of the Cincinnati Reds

Over the past month, the top pitchers in the Cincinnati Reds bullpen have taken on more consistent roles.

Amir Garrett played the best left-handers on the opposing team during the middle innings, and Brad Brach played the same role against the best right-handed players on the opposing team.

Heath Hembree has served the ninth inning in each of his last eight appearances, and Josh Osich and Ryan Hendrix have served in the second most common situations with the highest leverage.

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“I think the guys are getting more and more comfortable pitching and we speak before every game to make sure they have the best idea possible about going into a game,” said Reds manager David Bell. “When do you expect to get up and pitch?

Reliever Michael Lorenzen, who left the game on Saturday with a right Achilles tendon injury, should deliver another right-handed thrower at the top of the pecking order in high leverage situations.

Bell said he wanted Lorenzen to have a “clean inning” on his debut of the season, so Bell gave Lorenzen eighth instead of putting him in the middle of the top of the seventh inning as he did on Brach.

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“Things are going to keep changing, we’re going to add more people,” said Bell. “A lot has not so much to do with the inning, but with different parts of the opposing team’s line-up, situations in which the boys feel comfortable. There is a lot in there.”

ROSTER MOVEMENT: Before the Reds’ game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, Cincinnati activated starting pitcher Sonny Gray (chest strain). In a corresponding change in the squad, the Reds infielder Alejo Lopez opted for Triple-A.

Lopez had been in a pinch-hitter role with the Reds, and the rookie averaged .294 on 17 at-bats.

CASTELLANOS UPDATE: With the bases loaded in the lower part of the 11th innings of the 7-4 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday night, Wade scored Miley for the pitcher.

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Castellanos was technically available from the bank, but Bell said on Sunday that Castellanos was not an option. Castellanos was hit in the wrist on Friday night and is still under treatment to reduce the swelling.

“We’ll see how he’s doing. I know he was better (Saturday) and I still think it can be done very quickly, ”said Bell. “We will see how its availability is.”

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HOFFMAN ON ROTATION: The Reds will have a six-man rotation for at least a week.

Starter Jeff Hoffman (right shoulder impingement) has completed his rehab assignment and is due to make his first start since May against the New York Mets on Wednesday.

“It’s exciting just to be healthy again,” said Hoffman. “That is (was) so frustrating about the whole situation. I want to be out there where I can and, above all, a team like this that has so much potential to play so well. “

Since Hoffman starts on Wednesday, every other starter’s next scheduled gig has been postponed for a day.

“There were just so many people we could do this with, where we could give them a bigger break (over the All-Star break),” said Bell. “It would be likely to temporarily move to a six-man rotation for this homestand and make a couple of starts where the guys get an extra day or two.”