Reds schedule shift has Terry Francona stuck between loyalty and logic

If Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona has shown fans one thing through his first two months on the job, it's that he's extremely loyal to his players; sometimes, to a fault. That loyalty will be put to the test on Tuesday and Wednesday as the Reds' upcoming schedule presents Tito with a conundrum.

The Reds are on a five-game winning streak, thanks in large part to Will Benson. Though he didn't hit a home run on Monday in Pittsburgh, Benson did extend his hitting streak to seven games with a double and is hitting .478/.583/1.217 during that stretch.

Francona, however, may have to sit Benson over the next two games since the Pittsburgh Pirates will be sending a pair of lefties to the hill. Bailey Falter will oppose the Reds on Tuesday night at PNC Park, and Wednesday's series finale will feature Pirates' lefty Andrew Heaney. Benson's track record against the left-handed pitching is not good, and Francona should alter his lineup accordingly.

Terry Francona should remove both Will Benson and Gavin Lux from the Reds starting lineup

But Benson isn't the only Reds player who should take a seat on Tuesday and Wednesday. Gavin Lux has been awful against left-handers throughout the 2025 season, and his career, meaning that he should find a spot next to Benson on the Reds' bench — at least until the Pirates' starter is lifted. While his production hasn't been as loud as Benson's, Lux is still hitting .310/.355/.448 over his last eight games.

Francona's options to replace those two in the lineup aren't great. But with three catchers, Francona could choose to deploy Tyler Stephenson as the Reds' DH for the next two games and allow one of Jose Trevino or Austin Wynns to set up behind home plate. An outfield alignment of Austin Hays (LF), TJ Friedl (CF), and Connor Joe (RF) may be necessary for the Reds' next two contests in the Steel City.

As explosive as Benson's been, his kryptonite has been left-handed pitching. As reliable as Lux has been against righties, he's been equally as terrible against lefties. This move would be a no-brainer for most analytically-driven managers, but Francona has some of that old-school mentality that's hard to shake — especially when players like Benson and Lux are performing so well.

Will Tito make the logical move or will his loyalty win out? It won't take long to find out, as the Reds and Pirates will take the field for Game 2 of their three-game set on Tuesday at 6:40 p.m. ET.

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