Owners of the worst production from the leadoff spot in all of Major League Baseball, the Cincinnati Reds have finally, mercifully seen enough of the way their old lineup produced.
Ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Washington Nationals, manager Terry Francona bumped up the stars of his lineup a slot and began to stack the top of his lineup full of the best bats he can find. No longer is TJ Friedl hitting leadoff with Matt McLain slumping in the #2 spot – instead, Elly De La Cruz will hit 2nd with Sal
Stewart 3rd, JJ Bleday 4th, and Spencer Steer 5th tonight as the Reds face Washington starter Kyle Leahy, a righty.
Will Benson will lead off again against the RHP, and it remains to be seen how Francona will adjust the top of the lineup on days when the Reds face a southpaw.
Notably absent from this lineup today is Ke’Bryan Hayes, who was a flashpoint during yesterday’s game for a) not being pinch-hit for in the 4th inning with the bases loaded (and grounding into a double-play) and later b) being pinch-hit for in a bases-loaded spot after the game had already gotten out of hand.
Nathaniel Lowe is also back in the lineup tonight at DH one day after questionably being on the pine against a RHP (and against his former club).
Here’s the lineup for the start of the second game of this series, one that will feature Nick Lodolo on the mound for the Reds for his second start of the season:
First pitch is set for 6:40 PM ET in GABP.
