3 under-the-radar Reds players off to a good start in 2023

2. Reds OF Stuart Fairchild has gotten off to a good start in 2023.

Let's flip from the pitching-side of things to the hitting-side of things, shall we? It's time to talk about Stuart Fairchild. If you didn't know that Alex Young had the lowest ERA on the team, then it's a good bet that you didn't know Fairchild has the highest OPS among all Cincinnati Reds hitters.

Fairchild has seen most of his success in matchups against left-handed pitchers. When a southpaw is on the bump, it's all but guaranteed that manager David Bell is going to sit his pair of left-handed hitting outfielders Jake Fraley and TJ Friedl.

That's why Fairchild must strike when the iron is hot. While Fairchild can hit against right-handed pitchers too, his chances are going to be multiplied when a left-handed pitcher is on the hill. Fairchild actually third in the Reds lineup earlier this week when left-hander Bailey Falter was on the bump for the Philadelphia Phillies.

If Fairchild continues to produce when opportunities arise, it's going to be difficult for the Reds to option the 27-year-old back to the minors. While Joey Votto is due back in the Reds lineup very soon, Jason Vosler's struggles after Opening Weekend warrant that he, not Fairchild, take the scenic drive down I-71 to Louisville, Kentucky.

Stuart Fairchild also brings an element of speed to the Cincinnati Reds lineup. The reality is that Fairchild is a rotational outfielder, but in this organization, that's not a bad spot to occupy at all.