We’ve played just six and a half innings.
Twice tonight there have been moments where it made little sense to have the starting third baseman bat. Once, Tito left him in to hit into a DP. The second time, he was mercifully lifted for a pinch hitter. Even if Nathaniel Lowe whiffed, it was the right move. As it would’ve been two innings earlier.
Entire games are spent wondering when it’s going to make sense to remove Ke’Bryan Hayes, which means you are openly looking for spots to take out his glove, which is the thing that’s getting him paid. His bat is that bad.
Meanwhile we keep hoping that every day will be the day when 2023 Matt McLain appears for good, like a guy who keeps looking at his phone hoping to get a text from an ex.
There are other offensive zeroes on the team - CF and C are major culprits - but you can’t continue to trot out lineups regularly that include two infielders who contribute so little offensively.
I’m not a big believer that any rookie is going to be some sort of life-preserver, but there’s no coherent reason why the Reds can’t see if Edwin Arroyo can help a team that has so much offensive dead weight.