Tyler Stephenson Injury: Tests out thumb guard

Stephenson (thumb) played catch and blocked softer baseballs Monday in a test of the thumb guard fitted for his catcher's mitt, MLB.com reports.

Stephenson was encouraged by the activity and is scheduled to take batting practice Friday. The Reds remain in the mix for a wild-card spot, so if Stephenson is deemed capable of playing through a left thumb fracture, he'll likely return from the 10-day injured list in early September.