Cincinnati Reds: How will David Bell manage Scooter Gennett’s return?

Scooter Gennett is slated to return to action on Friday when the Cincinnati Reds host the Chicago Cubs. How will David Bell handle Scooter’s return?

Scooter Gennett is scheduled to return from a groin injury that has sidelined the Cincinnati Reds‘ second baseman since before the season began. According to Gennett, in an interview with C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic, he’s going to play every day. So, how will David Bell manage the rest of the talent that has played well in his stead?

Bell was dealt a blow before the Reds left Goodyear, Arizona when Scooter Gennett exited a spring game with a injury that would sideline Scooter for three months. The additions of the power-hitting pair of Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp, combined with Gennett, Joey Votto, Jesse Winker, and Eugenio Suárez was supposed to make the Reds’ offense an unstoppable force.

Since that time, Kemp has been released, Votto has struggled to find his power, Winker and Puig have been inconsistent, and recently Suárez has fallen into a funk he’s yet to emerge from. Thank goodness for the clutch hitting of José Iglesias and the power bat of Derek Dietrich. Both Iglesias and Dietrich’s offensive surprises have kept the Reds afloat.

But that boat will sink very quickly if Gennett is not able to return to his All-Star form rather quickly. While it’s unfair to ask Gennett to put on a cape and become Superman for this Reds team, the clock is ticking on Cincinnati’s chances to turn around their season.

With Gennett expecting to start every day, what does that mean for the likes of Dietrich, Iglesias, José Peraza, and Kyle Farmer? Dietrich has been the biggest benefactor of Gennett’s absence and has shown his value to this team. Iglesias has flashed the type of leather Reds’ fans haven’t seen since Brandon Phillips.

Peraza and Farmer, on the other hand, are likely to see a drastic reduction in playing time. The good news for three of the four players, is that each one has the versatility to play multiple positions. Iglesias has cemented himself as the Reds shortstop this season, and outside of a spot start here or there, I don’t expect Peraza to supplant him.

The other three, however, will put their varying abilities to the test. Of the the three players mentioned, Dietrich is the one that stands out. The slugger leads the Cincinnati Reds in home runs (18), OPS (.917), and slugging (.567). His bat has to be in the lineup three to four days a week.

Look for David Bell to insert Dietrich into the outfield a bit more often, making left field into more of a platoon situation with Jesse Winker based on the matchups. The troubling aspect of that is Winker’s recent surge in offensive production. It’s also hard to justify substituting one for the other when both bat left-handed.

If Bell wants to have both Winker and Dietrich one the field, giving the team a lefty-heavy lineup, Winker could slide over to right field once a week and give Yasiel Puig a night off. I can’t see that sitting too well with The Wild Horse, as players like he and Votto are used to playing every day. Speaking of Votto, Dietrich could also spell the Reds’ first base man on occasion as well.

Bell will find opportunities for Dietrich, but finding those same types of opportunities for Peraza and Farmer will be a bit more difficult. Farmer offers a lot of versatility, as he can play all over the field and even behind the plate. Peraza has that same type of flexibility, but he’s struggled this season trying to adapt to playing multiple positions.

We saw Peraza struggle to track the ball off the bat while playing center field after Nick Senzel left the game following a headache. We also saw him forget the number of outs the Reds had recorded while substituting for Phillip Ervin in left field. On Tuesday night, the Angels scored on a sacrifice fly with a runner on second base after Peraza held onto the ball too long after a fly out.

Peraza is the team’s only true backup shortstop, so it’s not likely that he’ll be sent to Triple-A upon Gennett’s return. However, consistent at-bats will be hard to come by and I get the impression that Peraza is the type of player that thrives when given a consistent role on a team. While Ervin is the most likely candidate to head down to the minors, I wouldn’t rule out Peraza making the trip to Louisville.

One thing is for sure, Scooter Gennett’s return will give the Cincinnati Reds a real shot in the arm. Not only because of his presence in the lineup, but Gennett is one of the clubhouse leaders and that intangible is incredibly valuable as well. Buckle up Reds fans, Scooter’s back in town.