Predicting the Reds starting lineup for the Field of Dreams Game vs. the Cubs

Major League Baseball is just a few short hours away from taking center stage with one of biggest events of the season. After the success of last year's Field of Dreams Game, MLB decided to run it back in 20222 and this year, your Cincinnati Reds are part of the festivities.

No, the Reds no longer have the mega-star power of Nick Castellanos and Luis Castillo. Gone as well are Eugenio Suarez, Jesse Winker, Sonny Gray, and Tucker Barnhart. Cincinnati even traded away their best hitter over the first half of the season by shipping Brandon Drury to the San Diego Padres.

Nonetheless, Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs (who are also in the midst of a rebuild) will playing among the corn stalks in Dyersville, Iowa this evening. How might Reds manager David Bell fill out his lineup card versus Chicago's Drew Smyly?

1. Jonathan India, Reds second baseman

Look for last year's National League Rookie of the Year Jonathan India to lead things off for the Redlegs tonight. India, who was plagued a hamstring injury earlier this season, has been playing very well of late.

In his last 30 games, India is slashing .276/.339/.474 and has five of his seven home runs. Injuries have hampered the second baseman's ability to repeat the success he had in 2021, but rest assured that Jonathan India will be hitting atop the Cincinnati Reds batting order on Thursday night.

2. Nick Senzel, Reds centerfielder

Nick Senzel has had much better success batting further down in lineup earlier this season, but David Bell has been insistent of late that the former first-round pick get more at-bats. Senzel has seen a lot of time lately hitting right behind Jonathan India.

Bell needed someone to take the place of Brandon Drury in the lineup. The Reds home run leader, until he was traded a little over a week ago, had been firmly entrenched as the No. 2 hitter in Cincinnati's lineup. But fans should look for Senzel to occupy that spot during the Field of Dreams Game.

3. Kyle Farmer, Reds third baseman

It doesn't make a lot of sense, but Kyle Farmer has been receiving a lot of at-bats in the No. 3 hole recently. After dealing Tommy Pham to the Boston Red Sox at last week's trade deadline, David Bell has continued to bat Farmer third in the Reds lineup.

Farmer has not had much success since being moved up in the batting order, and even the last month, the 31-year-old has seen his fair share of struggles at the plate. Farmer is batting just .206/.305/.275 over his last 30 games, but the Georgia native is gamer and a leader on this year's team. Plus, everyone knows you've got to have a "farmer" in field, right?