Cincinnati Reds: 3 players who benefit from injury-plagued roster

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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 27: Sonny Gray #54 of the Cincinnati Reds looks on against the Minnesota Twins. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) /

The Reds have lost several key players to injury this spring.

The Cincinnati Reds Opening Day roster may look quite different from what you and I had predicted when spring training began. A rash of injuries has hit the team over the last week or so, and a few may impact who we see in a Reds’ uniform on April 1st. However, several players now have a new lease on life and may benefit from their hampered teammates’ absence.

It started with Joey Votto, who tested positive for COVID-19. There is no timetable for the former MVP’s return, but according to league policy, Votto will miss at least 10 days. He’s been placed on the injured list.

Yesterday, the news came down that Sonny Gray, last season’s Opening Day starter, is suffering from back spasms and will likely miss the first week of the season. According to MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon, Gray underwent an MRI on Saturday. Gray doesn’t seem overly concerned, but I’m sure Reds Country is holding their collective breath.

“My back just keeps spasming. It just keeps spasming when I rotate and when I throw. Going through pitching and throwing is all fine. When I get on the mound and I really crank on it, it just kind of spasms up a little.”

Tejay Antone left Sunday’s game with a groin injury, but last year’s rookie sounds confident that he’ll return for his next start. Fellow starting pitcher Wade Miley is currently out with a hamstring injury, as is last year’s free agent signing from Japan, Shogo Akiyama. Akiyama also missed time earlier in camp while tending to his injured wife back in Cincinnati.

Finally, we’ve yet to see Amir Garrett or Lucas Sims take the field this spring. Both relievers are working their way back from minor injuries. So, with all these injuries befalling the Cincinnati Reds this week, the team’s depth will be tested. Who’s most likely to benefit from all these players missing from the roster?

Cincinnati Reds second baseman Jonathan India (71) rounds the bases on a solo home run. /

1. Jonathan India, Reds infielder

Jonathan India seems ready to make the leap to the big leagues. The only problem is, he’s blocked at virtually every position he plays. Mike Moustakas was signed to a four-year deal in December of 2019 and Eugenio Suárez is an All-Star third baseman who nearly led the league in home runs two seasons ago.

However, with Joey Votto absent from the lineup, all indications are that Moustakas will slide over to first base. The former World Champion doesn’t have a great deal of experience fielding the position, but he held his own in spurts last season and represents the best replacement on this year’s team should the the six-time All-Star be unable to go on April 1st.

So, who fills in at second base? That’s where Jonathan India comes in. With the Triple-A season not slated to begin until early-May, it would be a travesty to keep India off the major league roster without the benefit of finding regular at-bats in the minors for over a month. But, if Votto misses any time this season, the duo of India and Moustakas could secure the right-side of the Reds’ infield.

India has the makings of a solid major league hitter, and he’s played solid defense this season as well. However, it makes no sense to promote India to the bigs unless he’s going to receive a regular spot in the Cincinnati Reds lineup. Votto’s absence would allow the 24-year-old that opportunity.

MESA, ARIZONA – MARCH 01: Scott Heineman #26 of the Cincinnati Reds in action during a preseason game. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /

2. Scott Heineman, Reds outfielder

Scott Heineman has been one of the most impressive players in camp this spring, but a crowded Cincinnati Reds outfield is going to make it difficult for the former Texas Ranger to find his way onto the major league roster. However, the hamstring injury suffered by Shogo Akiyama will give the hulking outfielder a chance to make the Reds squad.

Whether or not Akiyama returns for Opening Day, he’ll be playing behind Nick Senzel in the early-going of the 2021 season. Akiyama felt the effects of missing a good chunk of spring training last year due to the coronavirus, and the Japanese outfielder was absent from Goodyear for seven days while tending to his injured wife back in Cincinnati.

Those missed at-bats are going to hurt the 32-year-old’s timing and likely push back his 2021 debut. When healthy, Akiyama has the ability to be a solid contributor atop the Cincinnati batting order, but the team’s outfield depth will insure that there’s no need to rush Akiyama back into the lineup if he’s not yet ready.

Scott Heineman is a versatile outfielder, capable of playing all three spots as well as first base. Joey Votto’s absence will also help Heineman’s chances of making the team out of spring camp. Heineman has speed on the base paths and power in the batter’s box; a perfect utility player whom David Bell can deploy late in games to help the Reds secure some early-season wins.

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Jesse Biddle (53) resets between pitches. /

3. Jesse Biddle, Reds left-handed pitcher

This one may be a bit out of left field, but hear me out. Sonny Gray and Wade Miley are likely to be out of action for at least the first week of the season, which means the Cincinnati Reds will have two openings in their starting rotation. We know that Luis Castillo, Tyler Mahle, and Michael Lorenzen will be part of it, but who gets the last two spots?

That’s up for debate, but so long as the groin injury is minor, I fully expect Tejay Antone to grab one of the remaining spots. You could make the argument he deserves a spot in the rotation regardless of who’s been injured this spring. There’s also two more names to consider; José De León and Jeff Hoffman.

I’m not here to debate who deserves the fifth starting spot, but rather to point out that two players who were ticketed for the Reds bullpen are now likely to start the season as part of the Cincinnati starting rotation. If Antone and one of either De León or Hoffman pitches every fifth day, then there’s a couple openings in the pen.

Sean Doolittle, Amir Garrett, Lucas Sims, and Noé Ramirez are locks to be part of the Reds’ relief corps. Add in either De León or Hoffman and five of the eight spots are spoken for. Cionel Pérez has done nothing but shine this spring and Brandon Finnegan has proven his worth as well. So, that leaves one spot remaining in the Cincinnati pen, and right now, it has to go to Jesse Biddle.

Next. 3 Reds players on the hot seat

In five innings of work this spring, the 29-year-old has punched out six batters with an ERA of 1.80 and recorded two saves while walking just one. Yes, that would give the Cincinnati Reds five left-handed relievers, but we’re bound to see players like De León, Finnegan, and Pérez bounce between Cincinnati and Triple-A Louisville this season.

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