Reds.TV's Jim Day interviewed Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson during the team's game Sept. 23 against the Braves in Atlanta, and asked Stephenson how he expects free agency to compare to the stress Stephenson encountered at the trade deadline.
"I feel like with the trade deadline, everything going on, it was a lot," Stephenson said. "Kind of (my) first time going through that, and how much this (organization) has meant to me. This is where I grew up and have become a player with this Reds' uniform and this Reds' organization. From top to bottom, I'm very thankful for it. I don't know what the future holds."
"I feel like I've already – it was bittersweet, especially with the last game possibly on Sunday," Stephenson continued. "But I'll
be flying back to Cincinnati for a few days after the Toronto series, so (I'll) be able to see a few people, do some things. If it is the last time, I'm very thankful for it. Like I said, you kind of never know what the future holds. … If I'm back, I'd be very happy. Like I said, this is what I kind of grew up knowing. If not, then I've been very thankful for it."
Stephenson entered the game batting .246 with 15 homers this season. He batted .288 in June, and .339 in July.
Over seven seasons, he's batted .258 with 78 HRs.
"I think Tyler Stephenson has made a tremendous amount of progress since probably about the first part, middle of June to where we stand right now," Reds.TV analyst Jeff Brantley said during the broadcast. "Not just from a batting average or hitting standpoint. I think some of that comes with the Reds allowing him some time off behind the plate, where he's been the designated hitter, and allowed him to keep his legs underneath him as we've gotten to August and September. But I think his game-calling has gotten better, and I've incrementally seen his throwing get better as time has moved forward."
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What 'thankful' Tyler Stephenson said about seven seasons with Reds
