Alejo Lopez should be the Reds starting second baseman until Jonathan India returns

The Cincinnati Reds have been bitten by the injury bug. The team is without Jonathan India, Nick Senzel, Jose Barrero, Max Schrock, and Donovan Solano. Four of those five players are currently on the Injured List, and there's a chance that India could join them very soon.

The Redlegs have been without the reigning National League Rookie of the Year since he came up lame after legging out a single in the opening game of a four-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night.

With Daniel Duarte hitting in the IL with elbow soreness, the Cincinnati Reds have recalled Alejo Lopez from the team's taxi squad. Lopez was out of the starting lineup during the series finale versus the Dodgers on Sunday, but heading into Monday's contest with the San Diego Padres, the 25-year-old should draw the start at second base until India returns.

Alejo Lopez should be the Reds everyday 2B for now.

The Cincinnati Reds are 14th in batting average and dead last in the league in OPS and on-base percentage. What does David Bell have to lose by inserting Alejo Lopez into the starting lineup?

Honestly, the first thing Bell should do is start Lopez at the keystone on Monday night in San Diego and allow Brandon Drury to give Kyle Farmer a day off from shortstop. Bell could follow that up by moving Drury to the hot corner for the time being and allow Mike Moustakas to be the Reds everyday DH; a move that needs to happen sooner rather than later.

Lopez is never going to blow you away with his power, but he's a contact hitter who had a better walk-rate than strikeout-rate in the minors last season. Given that Bell has stated his approach for scoring runs this season might rely more on speed than power with the absence of Jesse Winker and Nick Castellanos, it makes more sense than ever to allow Lopez an opportunity for a bigger role.

We'll have to wait and see if Alejo Lopez gets into Sunday's game versus LA or is in the lineup for Monday night's battle with the Padres. One thing is for sure, the Cincinnati Reds hitting cannot get much worse.