Reds vs Angels: Probable pitchers and David Bell’s big lineup changes vs lefty

The Cincinnati Reds will be donning their City Connect uniforms on Friday night and welcoming the Los Angeles Angels to town for a three-game series at Great American Ball Park. The Reds are sending Nick Lodolo to the hill for his second start of the season.

On the other side will be Tyler Anderson. The Angels starter is left-handed, and anyone who's watches David Bell manage over the years knows that the Reds skipper prefers to load up on right-handed bats against southpaws. But that's not the case on Friday.

Bell will deploy three left-handed hitters on Friday night, along with switch-hitter Elly De La Cruz. Nick Martini will act as the Reds designated hitter and he'll be joined by both Jake Fraley and Will Benson.

Reds vs Angels: David Bell's lineup features Jake Fraley and Will Benson vs LHP

Some Reds fans will look at this lineup and wonder if Bell has lost his mind. Where's Jeimer Candelario and Christian Encarnacion-Strand? Both players missed at least one start during the road trip due to illness, and it appears as though Candelario and Encarnacion-Strand are not yet well.

India will lead things off against the Angels and he'll be followed by Spencer Steer who'll be playing first base for the second time this season. Stuart Fairchild will hit third in Bell's lineup with Tyler Stephenson batting cleanup.

Martini will be the Reds' DH and followed by De La Cruz, Fraley, Santiago Espinal, and Benson. Bell has been giving Benson more opportunities against lefties this season, and Fraley has actually excelled against left-handed pitching.

Reds vs Angels: Nick Lodolo back on the mound

The Reds had some mixed results from the starting rotation earlier this week. Both Hunter Greene and Andrew Abbott held the Seattle Mariners in check, but Greene was pulled after just four innings while Abbott lasted six frames. Bell will be hoping for five-plus innings from Lodolo on Friday.

Lodolo was sidelined for most of the 2023 season, but his first start this season was stellar. The former first-round pick struck out 10 batters while walking just one and allowed a single hit over 5.2 innings work. If Lodolo can do the same tonight, he'll give the Reds a chance to get back in the win column.

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