Year Two of the Reds' Rebuild

 

In a year where the Cubs, Brewers and Cardinals are all looking to compete, the Reds' main goal for 2023 is just to be better than they were last year. Which, for a team that let loose most of its main talent prior to the 2022 season, is a somewhat reachable goal. 

I do think that the Reds are gonna have people this season that do succeed, not on a Reds level but on a baseball level. Jonathan India is already looking very hot in his first few games, and seems to be one of the only forces of pure contact left in the lineup [along with Jake Fraley]. Alexis Diaz, now being the only Diaz brother active in the league, will likely have a fantastic season in the ninth. And judging from his start yesterday, I think Nick Lodolo is gonna have a fuller, more impressive season. 7 hits and 2 earned runs, yes, but 9 Ks. Greene is gonna be the showier guy with more strikeouts and OMG moments but Lodolo might have the more bare-bones solid season, that is if both men stay healthy.

What's gonna weigh this team down is the combination of replacement players and middling prospects at major positions. Even with the knowledge that Joey Votto will eventually return, seeing Jason Vosler at first is a little unsettling, and though, yes, Vosler has kicked around for years and was posting decent numbers with the Giants last year, he's not Joey Votto, and he's still a replacement player. And so far he hasn't really done anything for the Reds. Same with other replacement-type choices like Jose Barrero, Will Benson and Stuart Fairchild. More disappointing still is T.J. Friedl's slow start, as he was handed a big role after breaking out last year. If the expectation is for Friedl to join Stephenson, Fraley and India in the heart of the lineup, he's gonna need to figure stuff out very soon.

I think the one replacement rookie guy that has some promise, at least so far, is Spencer Steer, who the Reds got last year in exchange for Tyler Mahle. He homered in the opener, and has been well sought after by Reds fans ever since arriving in Cincinnati. I think he's gonna have some cool moments for them this year, and slowly make his way up the lineup as he proves himself more and more. 

There's still a lot that's gonna keep the Reds from being truly great this year, but there's also a lot of new stuff that makes me think they won't lose 100 games again, and will keep doing the right things to rebuild.