Spring Training has officially wrapped up, and teams are headed back to their home field, gearing up for Opening Day baseball. The Cincinnati Reds have announced their final rosters, and the starting lineup for opening day is all but set in stone. With that, let’s look into the lineup and see how Terry Francona’s new team is looking.
Hunter Greene – SP
Greene will toe the rubber for the second consecutive opening day, as he’s coming off a breakout 2024 season. He posted a 2.75 ERA in 150 1/3 innings, both career bests. He did struggle in spring training. Greene registered a 5.57 ERA in 21 innings. Confidence is high for Greene as he hopes to take another step forward in 2025, possibly contending for the Cy Young.
Jose Trevino – C
Tyler Stephenson is the everyday catcher, but with him on the IL, newcomer Jose Trevino will be taking over the starting catcher spot. The defensive-minded backstop brings leadership, pitch framing, and stability behind the plate for however many games he catches. His are presents as a huge flaw, as he was in the 5th percentile in Caught Stealing Above Average (-5), and an unfathomably slow pop time of 2.07 seconds, placing him at the very bottom of MLB (1st percentile).
Offensively, he is below league average (but so are most catchers), but not unplayable as he slashed .215/.288/.354 for a .642 OPS and an 84 wRC+. He is considered a contact hitter with solid plate discipline, as his 17.5 K%, 18.7 Whiff%, 28.7 Chase%, and 8.5 BB% are all at or above league average.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand – 1B
The 25-year-old is looking for a bounce-back season after posting an .805 OPS in 63 games in 2023 as a rookie. He struggled mightily in 29 games, with an OPS of just .513, before hitting the shelf, wrapping up his season.
He was phenomenal in spring, slashing .280/.339/.560 with an .899 OPS. All signs are looking up for Encarnacion-Strand, and he will split his duties this year between first base and DH.
Matt McLain – 2B
McLain missed all of 2024 with a shoulder injury, but has progressed back beautifully. He’s had an okay but not spectacular spring, slashing .255/.281/.418 for a .699 OPS. His strikeout-to-walk ratio is a bit concerning, with two walks and 17 strikeouts in 55 at-bats.
However, the struggle is to be expected, as he hasn’t seen live MLB arms in over an entire year. It is a positive note that he was healthy and performed fine. Spring training stats also don’t mean everything, as expectations for McLain remain high for 2025.
Elly De La Cruz – SS
De La Cruz broke out fully in 2024, raising his OPS by a full 100 points, from .710 to .810. About speed, defense, and power, De La Cruz has everything you’d want in a superstar. The 23-year-old will look to cut down the strikeouts. That is essentially the only flaw in his game. It would not be far-fetched for him to have an OPS in the mid-800s in 2025, while continuing his base-stealing and defensive prowess.
Jeimer Candelario – 3B
The 31-year-old corner infielder underperformed in every aspect in 2024, after inking a fresh three-year deal with Cincinnati. He slashed just .225/.279/.429 for a .707 OPS, recording -0.7 bWAR. He was statistically more of a detriment to the Reds in 2024 than a valuable piece, despite the $45 million price tag.
Despite the struggles, there is confidence in the proven veteran, and he has also had a much better spring, posting a .758 OPS in 38 at-bats.
Gavin Lux – LF
The newcomer from LA joins Trevino as a new face in Cincinnati’s lineup. He’ll shift over from second base to third base for the first time in his career. Lux had a solid season, recording a .703 OPS and a 101 OPS+. He makes up for what he lacks in the power department with his contact and plate discipline.
23.1 Chase% – (85th percentile)
23.3 Whiff% – (57th percentile)
9.0 BB% – (62nd percentile)
Defensively, does not have the most experience out in left field, whether this spring or with LA. However, Great American Ball Park has a rather small outfield, and with his athleticism, it should be a manageable task for him.
TJ Friedl – CF
The lefty outfielder dealt with some injuries in 2024, playing in just 85 games. In those 85 games, he took a major step down on offense as he had an OSP of just .690, down from the .819 mark from 2023.
2024 was the first time his OPS dropped below .750, marking it as statistically the worst season of his career. He was underwhelming defensively, recording -4 OAA after a 5 OAA 2023 season. It was a disappointing year for him and the Reds, with both parties looking for a bounce back in 2025.
Jake Fraley – RF
After slugging .468 and .443 in 2022 and 2023, respectively, Fraley’s SLG dropped to .386, his lowest mark as a Cincinnati Red. His 95 OPS+ in 2024 was the first time he was under league average since the 2020 season. As for the Reds, Fraley is still the best option for right field. Will Benson has struggled more than Fraley has as of late.
Fraley is a solid player, nothing to write home about. He will likely hold onto the starting role until the Reds look for an All-Star outfielder.
Spencer Steer – DH
Steer burst onto the scene in 2023, slashing .271/.356/.464 for a .820 OPS and 117 wRC+. He followed that up by taking a step back in 2024. Steer hit .225/.319/.402 for a .721 OPS and a 96 wRC+. While he took a noticeable step down, there remains optimism that he can return to his old form.
In 2024, Steer walked and struck out at a similar rate as he did in 2023, with an 11.0 BB% (83rd percentile) and a 20.9 K% (55th percentile). His plate discipline continued to be elite, as he chased out of the zone just 24.8% of the time (75th percentile).
His defensive versatility is an asset, but that will be put on hold to start the season as he is just returning from a hamstring injury.
Main Photo Credits: Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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