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3 bold moves the Reds could make before May 1

By Drew Koch |
Cincinnati Reds bench coach Freddie Benavides (45) and manager David Bell.
Cincinnati Reds bench coach Freddie Benavides (45) and manager David Bell. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY
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Before everyone throughout Reds Country wants to act like the sky is falling, let's all take a deep breath. Yes, the Cincinnati Reds have not looked good at all through a little less than a month into the 2023, but what did you really expect?

Yes, the Reds got off to a surprisingly good start, only to be brought back to earth rather quickly. The team has lost six straight, including four at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The reality, however, is that this is Year 2 of the Reds rebuild.

However, there are some gutsy moves Cincinnati could make that may inject some life into the squad. What bold moves might be on the docket prior to May 1st?

1. Bold move the Reds could make before May 1: Release catcher Luke Maile.

The Cincinnati Reds went into the 2023 season with the idea of carrying three catchers. Anyone throughout Reds Country who's been paying attention understands why - Tyler Stephenson endured three injuries last season that permitted him to play just 50 games.

But if the Reds are going to carry three catchers, then Stephenson should be DH'ing more than catching, right? To date, Stephenson has logged 10 games behind the plate, started at first base just twice, and been the Reds designated hitter on eight occasions.

If Cincinnati's plan is to continue at his pace, allowing the former first-round pick to catch about half the time, then why not just release Luke Maile and roll with the catching tandem of Stephenson and Curt Casali? The Reds seemed to do just fine with the the duo of Casali and Barnhart in 2020.

Now, I know the argument that going to come up. What if Casali gets hurt and Stephenson, who's the DH, has to fill in. Then the Reds will lose their designated hitter for one game. I don't think that's the end of the world. Heck, we already saw David Bell willing do that last week.

Chuckie Robinson has been playing extremely well at Triple-A Louisville, and if one of the two Reds catchers gets dinged up and misses some time on the IL, Cincinnati has a capable backup. I know nobody wants the mess we saw behind the plate last season, but if Stephenson is doing the catching for about 50% of the time, then carrying three backstops isn't very productive.

2. Bold move the Reds could make before May 1: Promote shortstop Matt McLain to the big leagues.

The Cincinnati Reds have gone out of the way to accelerate Matt McLain's journey through the minor leagues. While the UCLA product has fewer than a month's worth of game at Triple-A, you can easily make the case that he's ready for the major leagues.

Quite frankly, this whole situation is a bit of a mess. The Reds currently have Jose Barrero and Kevin Newman occupying the shortstop position on a regular basis. Neither one has shown much of anything in the batters' box, though Barrero has looked better than he did at the end of last season.

Perhaps the bigger concern for Barrero, however, is his defense. Per Fielding Bible, Barrero's -5 defensive runs saved (DRS) is tied with Jonathan India for the worst on the team.

Anyone can see that the Reds do not see Jose Barrero as a long-term fixture at shortstop. Whether it's Matt McLain, Elly De La Cruz, or Edwin Arroyo, someone is going to replace Barrero at shortstop very soon.

Maybe the Reds should option Barrero back to Triple-A and try him out as the everyday centerfielder for the Louisville Bats. It would give Barrero the opportunity to learn a new position while also getting everyday at-bats in the minors.

Is it too soon for McLain to make his big league debut? Perhaps, but we're talking about bold moves. McLain is not yet part of the 40-man roster, but the aforementioned release of Luke Maile would open up a spot for one of the Cincinnati Reds top young prospects.

3. Bold move the Reds could make before May 1: Fire David Bell.

Now, this is one that I personally do not subscribe to, but I know it'll be popular among a certain section of Reds fans. While David Bell is not the greatest manager to ever walk the planet, he is not the problem.

Cleveland Guardians skipper Terry Francona is arguably the best manager in baseball, and he'd struggle to have this team anywhere in the ballpark of .500 given the roster that Cincinnati has rolled out to begin the 2023 season.

But, if the Reds front office and ownership are looking to send a message to the clubhouse, perhaps relieving Bell of his duties would light a fire. Obviously, bench coach Freddie Benevides would take over managerial duties for the remainder of the season in this scenario.

The question that arises from this bold move, however, is this - what are you hoping to accomplish by firing David Bell? Is it going to result in more wins? it's possible. It sure helped the Philadelphia Phillies last season after letting go of Joe Girardi.

But this situation is very different. The Phillies were a championship-contender who was floundering. The Reds are a rebuilding franchise that's going through growing pains. I know that's not what fans want to hear, but it's the truth.

David Bell's contract is up at the end of the season. The respectful thing to do would be for the Cincinnati Reds to honor their agreement and part ways with Bell after the season should they deem a change in leadership is necessary. Bold move? Sure. Correct move? Not really.

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