Cincinnati Reds: Three players hindered by the delay of the 2020 season

1. Matt Davidson, Infielder

No player on the Reds roster is probably more hurt by the likely return of Eugenio Suárez than Matt Davidson. While it looked as though Geno was on track for an Opening Day return to the roster, a couple more months to recover from shoulder surgery virtually guarantees we’ll see Suárez at third base when the season begins.

Davidson, a non-roster invitee, was crushing it during spring trainman before play was halted a couple weeks ago. The former Chicago White Sox slugger was hitting .333/.429/.778 with two doubles, two home runs and five RBIs in 10 games during Cactus League play. Davidson had split his time between first and third base, receiving five starts at the hot corner.

The 29-year-old was hoping to earn a bench spot on the Reds roster heading into camp. While that possibility still exists, his chances certainly took a hit with the delayed start to the 2020 season. Davidson does offer a power bat off the bench, but with a healthy roster, he enters a competition with several other sluggers.

Given that Suárez will likely be 100% once the season begins, Matt Davidson will now have to compete against the likes of Josh VanMeter, Derek Dietrich and Alex Blandino for a spot on the Opening Day roster. The one saving grace for Davidson is that rosters are likely to expand, giving him a better chance to snag a reserve role on the team.