Cincinnati Reds outfield works itself out due to injuries

With Scott Schebler injured, the Cincinnati Reds outfield has worked itself out for now.

When the Cincinnati Reds started the season, they had four outfielders and only three spots.  Adam Duvall, Billy Hamilton, Scott Schebler, and Jesse Winker are all MLB quality outfielders.  There are only three spaces in the outfield, however.

The Reds’ problem changed when Schebler hurt his left shoulder.  With the retro date going back to April 6, Schebler had to miss the entire Saint Louis Cardinals series.  This means more opportunity for all of the other Reds’ outfielders, but also creates a hole in center field.

The injury to Schebler means that the other three outfielders are now every day players.  Unfortunately, Schebler was having the best start to the season of the four outfielders.  Schebler is batting .333 with a .385 OBP to start the season.

Schebler, though, has only played in three games.  Even the fifth outfielder, Phil Ervin, has played in nine games.  Schebler essentially hasn’t started this season.

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Speaking of Phil Ervin, he is batting .200 with a .273 OBP.  He has three RBIs and is 1 for 2 in stolen base attempts.  Ervin is the only Reds outfielder to have played all three outfield positions this season, but is focusing on right field with Schebler on the DL.

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The remaining three outfielders for the Cincinnati Reds are having tough starts to the season.

Winker is doing his best to do his job.  He is only batting .250, but his OBP is .400.  He has walked eight times, but he has also struck out nine times.  More importantly, as the lead-off batter, he has only scored three runs in eleven games.

Hamilton, meanwhile, is scoring more, while getting on base at a lower rate.  He is batting .167 with a .286 OBP.  However, he has scored eight runs in eleven games.

Duvall is off to a horrible start.  He is only batting .103 with a .163 OBP.  He does have 2 home runs to go with 7 RBIs.

Winker has been battling health issues in his own right.  That means that Ervin is now starting after barely making the team.  Ben Revere may be wishing that he stuck around with the Reds because he would be in line for playing time now.

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The Reds have a ton of talent in the outfield.  With Schebler injured the Reds have a chance to let the other three outfielders play every day.  The best scenario is still that Schebler gets healthy as soon as possible and returns to the heart of the line-up following a recent throwing session.