2 truths and 1 lie about the Cincinnati Reds season so far

Have you ever played the game Two Truths and A Lie? Typically, played amongst friends, each person will reveal three statements. Two of what's said is factual, while another is purely fabricated.

Some folks may be waking up a week into the 2023 season and see that the Cincinnati Reds have a winning record. Believe it or not, that's true. Cincinnati went 3-2 to begin their 2023 campaign and two rainouts have forced the Reds next series to start a day late. The Reds will play the Philadelphia Phillies beginning on Friday.

But, while it's true that Cincinnati has looked better than expected out of the gate, there's surely a lie that being covered up somewhere, right? Let's look at two truths and a lie about the Reds season thus far.

Reds truth: The starting rotation is the strength of this year's team.

The starting rotation will be the strength of this year's Cincinnati Reds team. To be more precise, the top three starters will be the strength of this this team. Success in 2023 will be defined by how well the trio of Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, and Graham Ashcraft perform.

Greene was inefficient in his first start and removed after just 83 pitches. But the flamethrower still recorded eight punch outs in 3.1 innings of work. To put it another way, eight of the 10 outs that Greene recorded were via the strikeout.

Lodolo slugged it out in the first inning of his start last week but was able to rebound nicely. The lefty looked solid and went five innings while striking out nine batters. Lodolo has the opportunity to be the best pitcher of the three.

Ashcraft had been overlooked almost all spring despite pitching quite well. Most of the attention was focused on the two former first-round draft picks. But Ashcraft was dominant in his first start and could be a dark horse candidate to become an All-Star in 2023.

The backend of the rotation will be shaky. At the moment, with Luke Weaver rehabbing in Triple-A, manager David Bell has turned to Connor Overton and Luis Cessa. Overton got hit hard in his first start while Cessa looked quite good. There are plenty of young pitchers down on the farm who'll be looking to make an impact this season as well.

Reds truth: Jonathan India is back, baby!

There were two Cincinnati Reds who needed to bounce back in 2023; Tyler Stephenson and Jonathan India needed to prove that 2022 was a fluke. So far, India has returned to that level of play that saw him win the NL Rookie of the Year in 2021. But even more important, perhaps, India has emerged as the leader of this year's team.

India was slowed by injuries in 2022. The 26-year-old came into last season looking to prove that he could be a power hitter. A bulked up India injured his hamstring barely a week into the season and struggled to stay healthy throughout his sophomore season.

To being this season, India is hitting .389/.500/.667 and has three extra-base hits and a stolen base. The former Florida Gator is also batting leadoff and setting the tone from the outset.

When you watch India on a regular basis, he's atop the dugout steps, cheering on his teammates. After a home run, India is the first one to greet them and crown them with the team's new trend of the Viking helmet and cape.

Jonathan India is back, baby! After the Cincinnati Reds parted company with nearly every veteran player last season and Joey Votto entering the final year of his contract, there is a void when it comes to leadership within the organization. India seems primed to take that mantle in 2023.