2 Reds spring training revelations, 1 mirage fans can't be fooled by

Spring training is nearing its end, and before you know it, Opening Day will be here. In fact, the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers will be playing regular season games starting next week during the Seoul Series in South Korea on March 20 and 21.

Fans should never put too much stock into what they see during spring training, but you'd be foolish to totally dismiss it as well. Spring training offers a glimpse of what's in store for the upcoming regular season. A number of pitchers are tinkering with a new offering or a different grip, while several hitters are making small adjustments to their batting stance. Though the final score might not matter, how a player performs certainly does.

Reds fans have seen some interesting things so far this spring. There've been injuries, roster moves, position changes, and many other observations during the Cincinnati Reds' time in Goodyear, Arizona. What two aspects of Reds spring training stick out the most, and what's the one thing that isn't real?

2 Reds spring training revelations, 1 mirage fans can't be fooled by

Jake Fraley & Will Benson will get more chances against LHP in 2024

There was one area of need that the Reds failed to address during the offseason and that was the addition of a right-handed hitting outfielder who could crush left-handed pitching. The Reds operated with a bit of a platoon in 2023, running our Nick Senzel and Kevin Newman against southpaws while Benson and Fraley sat in the dugout.

The Reds may still employ some sort of platoon in 2024. Stuart Fairchild has proven that he belongs on the Opening Day roster, and both Spencer Steer and Jonathan India will get reps in the outfield as well.

But Reds manager David Bell has allowed Fraley and Benson to take their hacks against left-handed pitching this spring. No one in Reds camp has had more at-bats against lefties than Fraley. While Fraley has gone down swinging more times than he'd care to count, the fact is that he's getting opportunities.

The same holds true for Benson. Wanting to be a more complete player, Benson requested to be given chances against left-handed pitchers during spring training. Benson has received several opportunities as well, and has fared better than Fraley thus far.

Neither Fraley nor Benson should be considered everyday players heading into Opening Day, but look for both outfielders to have an increased number of at-bats against left-handers during the 2024 season.

Nick Martinez will make it tough for Brandon Williamson & Connor Phillips to join the Reds rotation

When the Reds signed Martinez this offseason, the contract looked as though it had starting pitcher written all over it. It's not often that a reliever gets a two-year, $26 million pact unless he's pitching in the ninth inning with the lead. That type of money is reserved for closers. But that's not going to be Martinez's role in 2024.

Baseball fans have gravitated toward the term swingman; a pitcher who can operate as both a starter and reliever. That was Martinez's role with the San Diego Padres last season, and could very well be his role with the Reds this season. But Martinez's presence on the roster will make it tough for both Williamson and Phillips to find a spot in the starting rotation.

Heading into the season, it seems as though Nick Lodolo will not be stretched out enough to be part of the Opening Day roster. It's a good bet that Martinez will join Hunter Greene, Graham Ashcraft, Andrew Abbott, and Frankie Montas in the starting rotation. That means Williamson and Phillips are ticketed for Triple-A.

When Lodolo is fully cleared, it stands to reason that Martinez would then shift his role to the bullpen and give Bell a handful of innings every two or three nights. That's not a bad thing, unless you're Williamson or Phillips.

Both Williamson and Phillips have what it takes to be major league pitchers, but the opportunities will be few and far between in 2024 if everyone remains healthy. When those chances do come around, Williamson and Phillips will have to be ready to go, as the competition for a spot in the Reds rotation just got turned up a notch. Rhett Lowder and Chase Petty won't be far behind.