Cincinnati Reds: lineup and rotation patterns
What 2023–2025 Retrosheet data tells us about how the Cincinnati Reds set their lineups and used their pitchers.
A record of past seasons, not a forecast: 2027 projections will be added once rosters take shape. About these team pages.
Our read on the Cincinnati Reds
TJ Friedl led off 150 times for Cincinnati in 2025, and the same hitter led off consecutive games 89% of the time, tied for fifth highest in the league. Behind him the lineup was assembled from matchups: at third base, left field and right field no one started half the games, and several players were clearly tied to the opposing starter's hand. Gavin Lux started 98% of games against right-handers and 28% against left-handers, Santiago Espinal 89% against left-handers and 29% against right-handers, and Jake Fraley 43% against right-handers and 2% against left-handers.
The rotation was compact: 12 pitchers started, and the top five, led by Brady Singer with 32 starts, made 83% of the starts. Jose Trevino made the most starts at catcher (84).
Where the Cincinnati Reds ranked in 2025
| Cincinnati Reds | Avg | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wins | 83 | 81.0 | T-13 |
| Different batting orders | 145 | 135.9 | T-11 |
| Same order as previous game | 0.6% | 4.8% | T-29 |
| Most uses of one order | 5 | 4.8 | T-8 |
| Same leadoff as previous game | 89% | 75% | T-5 |
| Players in the lineup | 25 | 24.4 | T-11 |
| Games vs LHP | 46 | 42.6 | T-11 |
| Lefty hitters vs RHP | 2.9 | 3.6 | 26 |
| Lefty hitters vs LHP | 1.3 | 2.0 | 24 |
| Starting pitchers | 12 | 13.2 | T-18 |
| Top-five starters' share | 83% | 76% | 6 |
| Starts on 4 days' rest or less* | 31% | 31% | 20 |
| Starts after 10+ days* | 4% | 5% | 19 |
| Primary catcher's starts | 52% | 58% | 20 |
| Players at DH | 11 | 10.7 | T-12 |
| Top DH's share | 35% | 51% | 22 |
Three seasons at a glance
| Season | W–L | Games vs RHP / LHP starters | Different batting orders | Different players in the starting lineup | Starting pitchers used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 82–80 | 114 / 48 | 138 | 25 | 17 |
| 2024 | 77–85 | 120 / 42 | 121 | 28 | 16 |
| 2025 | 83–79 | 116 / 46 | 145 | 25 | 12 |
Who played where, 2023–2025
| Position | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | Tyler Stephenson (78) | Tyler Stephenson (112) | Jose Trevino (84) |
| 1B | Spencer Steer (53) | Spencer Steer (56) | Spencer Steer (113) |
| 2B | Jonathan India (103) | Jonathan India (132) | Matt McLain (131) |
| 3B | Spencer Steer (41) | Santiago Espinal (56) | Santiago Espinal (50) |
| SS | Elly De La Cruz (66) | Elly De La Cruz (159) | Elly De La Cruz (157) |
| LF | Will Benson (37) | Spencer Steer (91) | Austin Hays (57) |
| CF | TJ Friedl (108) | TJ Friedl (80) | TJ Friedl (148) |
| RF | Will Benson (45) | Jake Fraley (88) | Jake Fraley (48) |
| DH | Tyler Stephenson (40) | Jeimer Candelario (32) | Gavin Lux (57) |
Month by month in 2025
| Month | Games | W–L | Games vs LHP | Different batting orders | Starting pitchers used | First start of the season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March/April | 31 | 16–15 | 8 | 30 | 8 | – |
| May | 28 | 13–15 | 11 | 26 | 7 | Connor Joe, Garrett Hampson, Rece Hinds, Tyler Stephenson |
| June | 26 | 15–11 | 8 | 25 | 8 | none |
| July | 25 | 13–12 | 6 | 19 | 5 | Ke'Bryan Hayes |
| August | 27 | 12–15 | 9 | 26 | 7 | Miguel Andujar, Will Banfield |
| September | 25 | 14–11 | 4 | 22 | 6 | Sal Stewart |
Batting order and positions in 2025
Most starts by batting slot: 1. TJ Friedl (150); 2. Matt McLain (66); 3. Elly De La Cruz (148); 4. Austin Hays (82); 5. Gavin Lux (60); 6. Spencer Steer (61); 7. Tyler Stephenson (32); 8. Jose Trevino (35); 9. Matt McLain (51).
| Position | Next most starts (leader: see above) | Players who started there | Starter changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | Tyler Stephenson (65) | 4 | 71% |
| 1B | Christian Encarnacion-Strand (25) | 8 | 30% |
| 2B | Gavin Lux (16) | 4 | 29% |
| 3B | Ke'Bryan Hayes (47) | 8 | 36% |
| SS | Matt McLain (4) | 3 | 6% |
| LF | Gavin Lux (49) | 12 | 66% |
| CF | Will Benson (9) | 4 | 12% |
| RF | Noelvi Marte (48) | 7 | 46% |
| DH | Austin Hays (38) | 11 | 71% |
Against left- and right-handed starters
| Opposing starter | Left-handed | Right-handed | Switch-hitters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right-handed | 2.9 | 5.0 | 1.1 |
| Left-handed | 1.3 | 6.6 | 1.1 |
| Player | Bats | Start rate vs RHP (starts) | Start rate vs LHP (starts) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gavin Lux | left-handed | 98% (114) | 28% (13) |
| Santiago Espinal | right-handed | 29% (34) | 89% (41) |
| Jake Fraley | left-handed | 43% (50) | 2% (1) |
| Will Benson | left-handed | 49% (57) | 9% (4) |
Gaps may reflect timing, not a platoon (guide).
Rotation and rest in 2025
| Pitcher | Throws | Starts | First start | Last start | Median days of rest | Starts on 4 days or fewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brady Singer | RHP | 32 | March 31, 2025 | Sept. 28, 2025 | 5 | 10 |
| Andrew Abbott | LHP | 29 | April 12, 2025 | Sept. 27, 2025 | 5 | 9 |
| Nick Lodolo | LHP | 28 | March 29, 2025 | Sept. 25, 2025 | 5 | 9 |
| Nick Martinez | RHP | 26 | March 30, 2025 | Aug. 26, 2025 | 5 | 8 |
| Hunter Greene | RHP | 19 | March 27, 2025 | Sept. 24, 2025 | 5 | 4 |
| Zack Littell | RHP | 10 | Aug. 5, 2025 | Sept. 26, 2025 | 5 | 3 |
| Chase Burns | RHP | 8 | June 24, 2025 | Aug. 8, 2025 | 5 | 2 |
| Brent Suter | LHP | 3 | April 20, 2025 | June 21, 2025 | – | 0 |
| Rest before start | Cincinnati Reds | League average |
|---|---|---|
| 4 days or fewer | 31% | 31% |
| 5 days | 53% | 49% |
| 6 to 10 days | 13% | 15% |
| More than 10 days | 4% | 5% |
Catcher and DH in 2025
| Games | Team-games | Primary catcher started | League average |
|---|---|---|---|
| All games | 162 | 52% | 58% |
| Day game after a night game | 38 | 55% | 44% |
| All other games | 124 | 51% | – |
| Player | DH starts | Share of DH starts |
|---|---|---|
| Gavin Lux | 57 | 35% |
| Austin Hays | 38 | 23% |
| Miguel Andujar | 20 | 12% |
Most common lineups in 2025
The most common exact batting order was used 5 times, more than the club average of 4.8.
Lineup 1 (5 times, last on July 28, 2025): 1. TJ Friedl CF, 2. Matt McLain 2B, 3. Elly De La Cruz SS, 4. Austin Hays LF, 5. Gavin Lux DH, 6. Spencer Steer 1B, 7. Tyler Stephenson C, 8. Will Benson RF, 9. Noelvi Marte 3B.
Lineup 2 (3 times, last on Sept. 8, 2025): 1. TJ Friedl CF, 2. Noelvi Marte RF, 3. Elly De La Cruz SS, 4. Austin Hays LF, 5. Gavin Lux DH, 6. Spencer Steer 1B, 7. Ke'Bryan Hayes 3B, 8. Jose Trevino C, 9. Matt McLain 2B.
Lineup 3 (2 times, last on April 2, 2025): 1. TJ Friedl CF, 2. Matt McLain 2B, 3. Elly De La Cruz SS, 4. Gavin Lux LF, 5. Jeimer Candelario 3B, 6. Christian Encarnacion-Strand 1B, 7. Spencer Steer DH, 8. Jake Fraley RF, 9. Jose Trevino C.
Top nine vs RHP (7/116): Austin Hays, Elly De La Cruz, Gavin Lux, Jose Trevino, Ke'Bryan Hayes, Matt McLain, Noelvi Marte, Spencer Steer, TJ Friedl.
Top nine vs LHP (4/46): Austin Hays, Elly De La Cruz, Jose Trevino, Ke'Bryan Hayes, Miguel Andujar, Noelvi Marte, Santiago Espinal, Spencer Steer, TJ Friedl.
Our own calculations from Retrosheet game logs, regular seasons only: notes, methodology.