Cincinnati Reds: Five bold predictions for the 2020 season

1. Kyle Farmer starts at least one game playing every infield position for the Reds.

The Cincinnati Reds infield is stacked. Each player has had at least one season in which they hit 20-plus home runs, including Freddy Galvis who hit a career-high 23 dingers in 2019. Kyle Farmer, Cincinnati’s do-everything Swiss Army knife, saw time at every infield position last season, however, he never started at shortstop. This season, I think he will.

Given how the schedule sets up, the Reds play 17 straight days before receiving an off day. David Bell’s not going to run out 36-year-old Joey Votto for 17 straight games as the team’s starting first baseman. Will he play in all 17 games? Sure, but he might be peppered in as the team’s DH from time to time. Farmer is definitely an option to start at first base.

The backup shortstop position may be up for grabs. Will Alex Blandino make the 30-man roster? There’s a great possibility, but it’s hard to envision Blandino surviving thee cut to 28 players and you’d have to squint pretty hard to see him on the 26-man roster after four weeks of play. Look for Farmer to see more than the one inning of work he received at shortstop in 2019.

Third base is covered by Eugenio Suárez, who’s coming off shoulder surgery. Though he’s supposedly 100%, Bell may not risk his best player having a setback during the early part of the 2020 season. Farmer or Mike Moustakas would fir nicely at the hot corner if Geno needs a day off.

Moustakas is the last remaining infielder that Farmer would have to supplant in order to make this prediction come true. Again, with 17 straight games to begin the 2020 season, especially if we see at southpaw on the mound, it’s easy to see Bell going with the right-handed hitting Kyle Farmer over Moose.