Joey Votto, Elly De La Cruz sit as Reds took to take series against Tigers

David Bell opts for a righty-heavy lineup against a LHP.

Elly De La Cruz has electrified baseball audiences this season in ways few could have ever imagined. What he hasn’t done, however, is hit left-handed pitching with any aplomb.

Through 105 PA against southpaws in this, his rookie season, he’s the owner of a putrid 36 wRC+ that’s topped by his 41.9% K-rate against them. With veteran lefty Eduardo Rodriguez on the mound for the Detroit Tigers tonight, that was enough for Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell to sit Elly, even though his middle infield partner in crime Matt McLain remains sidelined as a potential shortstop option.

Enter Noelvi Marte, who’ll get a start at short tonight despite having not played a single inning at the position since his promotion to AAA Louisville earlier this summer. That said, he’s got 296 career games played there throughout his professional career in the lower minors, and the hope is that he’s able to cut it for at least the first few innings tonight before the Tigers turn to their bullpen and Bell begins his wholesale lineup alterations.

Also sitting tonight will be Joey Votto, who surely will be available off the bench at some key moment, too. I’ll refer you to what I wrote about Joey earlier this week in regards to his approach to left-handed pitchers at this juncture of his career rather than rehashing that again here today.

None of this will matter if rookie Connor Phillips doesn’t rebound from a bumpy first career outing while on the mound to start tonight. The young righty obviously has incredible stuff, when harnessed, and the hope is that he’s been able to refine some things prior to tonight’s outing.

The Reds woke up today just a lone game out of the final Wild Card spot in the National League, and a win tonight would help wrap up a series victory against Detroit. They’ll embark on that opportunity with the below lineup, which I’m sure won’t raise any eyebrows among you.

First pitch is once again set for 6:40 PM ET.

Reds Lineup

Tigers Lineup