Cincinnati Reds: Three players who will benefit from postponed games

1. Reds outfielder Phillip Ervin has struggled to start the season.

I really thought we’d have seen more of Phillip Ervin in the Cincinnati Reds lineup. In saying that, with Jesse Winker’s OPS sitting at 1.196, there’s no way David Bell can afford to sit down his best hitter. With the influx of outfield talent on this year’s roster, it appears that Ervin is buried on the depth chart.

When Ervin does receive a chance to play, he’s not excelled at all. In 22 at-bats so far this season, Phillip Ervin is hitting just .136. Despite the low batting average, Ervin has maintained a .321 on-base percentage thanks to a keen eye at the plate. Ervin has six walks in his 22 trips to the dish.

Ervin also has five strikeouts on the season. Ervin dismantled left-handed pitching last season and was often platooned with Winker in left field. However, though it’s just a small sample size, the results this year are not the same. Ervin is hitting just .143/.294/.143 against southpaws. His OPS against right-handers (.489) is actually better than it is against left-handers (.437).

Given the talent that Cincinnati has in its outfield, it’s not surprising that Ervin has been limited in terms of opportunities. However, when he receives those opportunities, he has to cash in. I believe that Ervin could very well be a trade candidate at the August 31st deadline. Perhaps this brief break will help Ervin regain his swing and allow him to make an impact on Bell and coaching staff.