Reds kick off last-gasp homestand with bizarre lineup change

The Cincinnati Reds' chances of making it to the MLB Postseason are fading by the minute. While the Reds' 4-3 win on Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers ensured a winning road trip, the clock is ticking. Cincinnati needs more than a winning road trip; they're going to need to string together a six or seven-game winning streak in order to get back into the playoff picture.

Reds fans are hoping that type of streak begins tonight when the team returns home to Great American Ball Park for to begin a six-game homestand. Monday begins a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals, but the Reds' lineup looks mighty different at the top.

Reds manager David Bell has inserted Spencer Steer into the leadoff role despite the fact that TJ Friedl is in the lineup. Even more bizarre is the fact that Steer is starting second base for just the second time all season and the first time since the Reds' game on May 15th against the Arizona Diamondbacks. While Steer does have 24 games at second base under his belt, this is an odd choice following Sunday's win.

Jonathan India replaced in Reds lineup by Spencer Steer

Jonathan India is out of the lineup. This will be the second game in a row in which the Reds' second baseman has not played the field — India was the DH on Sunday. But India has struggled at the dish of late, so perhaps a day off altogether will be good for the former NL Rookie of the Year. In his last 30 games, India is hitting just .171/.277/.297 with 32 strikeouts.

But as crazy as it may be to see Steer playing second base on Monday night against St. Louis, it's even crazier that Santiago Espinal is not in the lineup. Arguably the Reds' best infield defender, Espinal is coming off his most complete game of the year in which his run-saving defensive play helped preserve the Reds win on Sunday afternoon at American Family Field.

Bell had better hope that today's decisions to sit India and Espinal while plugging Steer in at the keystone don't doom Cincinnati's chances against their division rivals. The Reds need every win they can muster over the final few weeks of the 2024 campaign. Will tonight's gamble pay off?

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