Bleacher Report predicts familiar face will be part of Reds 2023 Opening Day lineup
Bleacher Report recently released their predictions for every Major League Baseball team's 2023 Opening Day lineup.
While the outlet foresees the Oakland A's trading catcher Sean Murphy to the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Chicago Cubs signing free agent shortstop Dansby Swanson, the Cincinnati Reds are left to pickup the scraps after the big market teams have feasted.
Bleacher Report believes that former Reds outfielder Adam Duvall will return to the Queen City next year and be part of Cincinnati's Opening Day lineup. It's not the worst idea, seeing as how the Redlegs are desperate for a right-handed hitting outfielder.
Bleacher Report predicts Adam Duvall will be part of Reds 2023 Opening Day lineup.
Adam Duvall certainly fits the mold of what the Cincinnati Reds will be looking for in free agency. Unless the Reds make a trade in the coming weeks to address the lack of depth in the outfield, Cincinnati will need to sign at least one free agent to help fill the void.
Currently, the Reds outfield is very heavy on left-handed bats. TJ Friedl, Jake Fraley, and Michael Siani account for half of Cincinnati's outfield. Nick Solak was an offseason pickup, and the Reds also have Nick Senzel and Stuart Fairchild on the 40-man roster.
There are whispers that Senzel could make a move back to the infield. If that happens, Cincinnati will certainly need to add anonther bat to the outfield. Duvall will be returning from a wrist injury that robbed the former All-Star of nearly half the 2022 season.
Duvall played for the Cincinnati Reds from 2015-2018. The Louisville native went to the Midsummer Classic in 2016 and won a Gold Glove with the Atlanta Braves in 2021. If Duvall signs with the Reds and has a bounce-back season in 2023, he'd be a prime candidate for GM Nick Krall to flip at the trade deadline.
Bleacher Report didn't get it all right though. While Jonathan India, Joey Votto, and Tyler Stephenson are list among those in the Cincinnati Opening Day lineup, so is Mike Moustakas. Not only that, but Bleacher Report sees him starting at third base. If that prediction comes to frution, Reds Country will be in for a longer season than the fanbase is already prepared to endure.