The Reds handed outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. a contract last week and stuck him in Triple-A so that he could build some confidence and perhaps help the big league club in the long-run. That was the plan, at least.
Matthews Jr. made his debut for the Louisville Bats on Saturday and you may be able to guess what happened. Batting leadoff, he finished 0-for-6 with five strikeouts as the Bats fell to the Norfolk Tides 4-3. Here’s the box score, in case you’re all in need of a good laugh.
The 35-year-old had a .190 batting average, a .260 on-base percentage and a .241 slugging percentage in 58 at-bats when the Mets released him in June, so the struggles should come as no surprise. He’s washed up. A shadow of his former self. All that jazz.
