Reds' Young Core Struggles | Cincinnati Reds News

The Cincinnati Reds are in deep offensive trouble, dead last in batting average and hits while striking out more than any team — despite having power hitters. Manager Terry Francona admits he’d rather not have rookie Elly De La Cruz lead off, not because he’s bad, but because the team lacks other reliable options, putting undue pressure on young stars. The hoped-for core of Noelvi Marte, Matt McLain, TJ Friedl, and Will Benson has cratered: Marte’s hitting under .200 and been sent down twice, McLain’s worse than last year, Friedl’s having his worst season, and Benson’s also in the minors. With no signs of improvement from within, the Reds may need to rebuild by bringing in new talent from outside the organization. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/c8fefe4b0b79862e