Reds calling up Rece Hinds should be just the start of bigger changes

Fans should expect to see Rece Hinds in the starting lineup tonight when the Cincinnati Reds welcome to the San Francisco Giants to Great American Ball Park. But Terry Francona can't stop there. He needs to be a bit bolder before filling out his lineup card before the game, and it starts at the top with TJ Friedl.

It certainly goes against Francona's nature, but the Reds' skipper can't afford to keep Friedl in the leadoff spot for much longer. It's only been 16 games — so there's no need to panic — but Cincinnati's starting centerfielder is hitting just .153 with a .286 on-base percentage to begin the 2026 season.

Francona stressed the importance of Friedl getting on base multiple times per game last season, and that logic still stands in 2026. Friedl reached base at a .364 clip in 2025, and found his way onboard by any means necessary. He has shown signs of getting back to that level — reaching base 30.2% of the time during the Reds' past two series — but maybe it's time for Francona to reshuffle the top of the Reds' batting order.

Terry Francona must consider moving TJ Friedl out of the Reds' leadoff spot

Friedl is far from the only player who's failed to perform during the early-going. Matt McLain — who typically bats behind Friedl in the No. 2 hole — has cooled off following a red-hot performance during spring training. Spencer Steer is off to another slow start this season. Moreover, Noelvi Marte's sluggish performance got him a ticket back to the minor leagues.

With Marte out and Hinds up, Francona could really shakeup the team's batting order heading Tuesday's game against the Giants. Tito has constantly refrained from slotting Elly De La Cruz into the leadoff spot, and while some analytics-driven fans would prefer to see it happen, that seems unlikely.

Nevertheless, something as simple as moving McLain up to the leadoff spot and bumping Friedl down to No. 9 in the lineup would at least give De La Cruz, Sal Stewart, and Eugenio Suárez more at-bats. McLain's .329 OBP is more than 40 points higher than Friedl's.

Provided he plays almost every day, Hinds could be the spark this Reds' offense needs. But the Reds need runners on base ahead of him in the lineup, and if Friedl fails to do that, Francona may have to tweak the lineup even more.

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