
Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico
March 26 Opening Day Eve
Let’s start with the injured list on Opening Day.
Tyler Stephenson was getting a scan the night before the season started. If the results are good, he can start baseball activities.
Austin Hays has a calf strain. He doesn’t know when it happened and hoped rest would cure it but it didn’t on the flight back. The Reds will put him on the injured list.
“It is a very low grade strain,” said Francona after Hays went through a scan. “There’s a chance he only misses six days but when we know, we’ll do it. He tried to play through it last spring. We want to nip it in the bud.
That means that Spencer Steer, who is improving with his shoulder throwing, will not go on the injured list. The Reds were trying to find him at bats and decided that the designated hitter role early would achieve that.
Andrew Abbott is on the injured list but could pitch right now. His last two Cactus League starts were pretty good. He just needs to build innings.
Alexis Diaz is on the injured list with a strained hamstring. He is also working on his mechanics that got out of whack.
Unlike 2024 when the team lost Matt McLain and Christian Encarnacion-Strand, these injuries are weeks not months from being healed.
First base:
It will be a cast of characters initially. Christian Encarnacion-Strand got the bulk of reps this spring and hit .280 with three doubles, a triple and three home runs this spring. Jeimer Candelario will play there too.
Second base
Matt McLain is locked in. This spring he showed no rust from missing 2024. He played in the Arizona Fall League to get at bats. He and Elly De La Cruz turned more double plays this spring, a statistic that was lacking last season. That will help pitchers tremendously during the season. It will allow starters to go deeper in games and save wear and tear on the bullpen. McLain was hot in early spring but tapered off near the end with a .255 average but he hit six doubles and a home run.
Shortstop:
It has become almost cliche but Elly De La Cruz was his exciting self this spring. He made spectacular plays but his feeds on the double play were more consistent. He made more of the routine plays as his concentration improved on defense. On offense, he was spectacular this spring. He hit .409 with four doubles and four home runs, from both sides of the plate. He stole six bases, including two on one pitch. “You can come to the park every day and see something you’ve never seen before, " said Francona in his 46th year in baseball.
Francona stressed that players don’t just run because it’s in their toolbox. The veteran manager wants every action on the field to be geared to a win.
Third base:
Jeimer Candelario has the most experience at the hot corner. He will start there but play first and be the designated hitter. Gavin Lux was successfully introduced to the position. He performed adequately. Santiago Espinal will also play there. He had a good spring with professional at bats.
Catcher:
With Stephenson out, a platinum glove catcher in Jose Trevino will fill in until the younger Stephenson is ready. Trevino made such an impact on the Reds’ pitchers this spring that the Reds extended his contract to 2027 with a team option for 2028. If he hits nothing, the Reds will benefit from the runs he saves. Yet he had success at the plate with the New York Yankees, especially in the 2022 season in which he was an All-Star. He hit .248 in 115 games with 12 doubles, a triple and 11 home runs, while driving in 43. Trevino has postseason experience and is a great communicator. He can work wonders for bringing a winning tradition to Cincinnati.
Austin Wynns will back up Trevino until Stephenson is ready. He played that role last season and knows the Reds’ pitchers.
Outfield:
The projected starting outfield of Austin Hays in left, TJ Friedl in center and Jake Fraley in right, hit a snag when Hays calf acted up. When Hays gets back, the Reds who are “thrilled to have him,” as Francona said. Hays drove in 14 runs over 16 games this spring. He hit .310 with two doubles, three triples and three home runs. He will provide punch in the middle of the order.
Friedl also missed considerable time last season with a spring training injury. He looked healthy this spring hitting .271 with two doubles. He bunted for a couple hits and got on base at a .332 pace above the league average of .312 last season.
Fraley heated up at the end of spring. He is another guy who needs to stay healthy. He is nearly 100 points better against right handed pitching.
The two spare outfielders are Jacob Hurtubise and Blake Dunn. The Reds designated Stuart Fairchild for assignment. Dunn knocked the door down this spring. “Blake Dunn kindof forced his way on the team,” Francona said. “That’s what you want. We don’t want to turn him into a platoon player. We have to be a little creative so that he does play.” Dunn hit .340 this spring with three doubles, a triple, two home runs and eight RBI.
Hurtubise can do a lot of positive things on the field. He uses the whole field and makes contact. He has speed that is way above average and can play all three outfield positions. He hit .289 in 23 games this spring with three doubles, two triples and five stolen bases.
Starting Pitchers:
Hunter Greene had his best season in 2024. “You might think I got complacent but I worked harder this offseason than I ever had before, " Greene said. “I averaged seven innings last season and my body is recovering better than it ever has.” He will open the season on the mound. “I did it two years ago. I have a bad taste in my mouth,” said Greene, who did not get a decision in the 5-4 loss to Pittsburgh.
Nick Lodolo pitched well in spring and is excited to come into the season, feeling healthier than he has the last two years. “I feel really good and I’m excited to get started,” Lodolo said.
Nick Martinez decided to resign with the Reds. Martinez excelled in the long relief role last season but became one of the team's most reliable starters by the end of the season. He made 11 starts from August 5 thru the rest of the season. He was 5-2 with a 2.42 ERA.
Brady Singer pitched 179 2/3 innings for the Kansas City Royals last season. The Reds sent his University of Florida teammate, Jonathan India to obtain his arm. This spring, Singer pitched 17 ⅔ innings allowing five earned runs for a 2.55 ERA.
Carson Spiers won the job from Abbott and Graham Ashcraft. He made an opening day roster for the first time in his career. He walked on in college at Clemson and was not drafted by a Major League team. “I’ve had to earn everything,” said Spiers, who pitched 14 innings this spring, allowing four runs for a 2.57 ERA.
Bullpen:
With Alexis Diaz on the IL the question is who will close games. “I don’t think we necessarily need to name a closer,” Francona said. “I told the guys we’d figure it out and do the best we can”. It will not be Tony Santillan. “I think he is more valuable getting to the ninth,” Francona said. “I think giving him a clean inning is the best for us.”
Along with Tony Santillan, Ian Gibaut, who made the team as a non-roster invitee, Scott Barlow, who signed as a free agent Graham, who was converted from a starter to work multiple innings out of the pen, and Emilio Pagan will come on as right handers. Barlow has experience closing games.
The Reds have three left handers. Sam Moll, who was effective last season. Brent Suter can also pitch multiple innings and Taylor Rogers. Rogers also has experience closing games.
General:
If the Reds can stay healthy and each man makes just incremental improvements, with Francona’s guidance the team can make some noise this season. They will for sure be exciting to watch.