Reds Adjust Lineup: Elly De La Cruz, Sal Stewart Moved

The Cincinnati Reds are shaking up their lineup, hoping to wake up the offense. They’re moving hot hitters up and keeping Will Benson at the top against the Washington Nationals.

This blog post takes a look at the key changes and Francona’s thought process. There’s a lot to consider for the rest of the series at Great American Ball Park.

Lineup shake-up aims to spark offense

The Reds have struggled at leadoff all season, pretty much the worst in MLB. So, ahead of Wednesday’s game against Washington, Terry Francona decided to ride the hot hands and shake up the batting order.

He pushed several batters up, hoping to finally get some runs early. The top of the order now focuses on the guys who’ve actually been producing, with some flexibility if they face a lefty.

In this new look, Will Benson stays in the leadoff spot against right-hander Jake Irvin. The rest of the top five? Big changes: Elly De La Cruz jumps to No. 2, Sal Stewart lands at No. 3, JJ Bleday moves to No. 4, and Spencer Steer grabs the fifth spot.

Francona said the lineup could shift again when Cincinnati faces a left-handed starter. He seems ready to mix things up, honestly, whenever the situation calls for it.

Top of the order: who moved where

The focus is all about stacking the top with the club’s most electric hitters. Here’s how things look for Wednesday’s matchup:

• Leadoff: Will Benson stays at the top against righties
• No. 2: Elly De La Cruz moves up to the two-hole
• No. 3: Sal Stewart slots in at three
• No. 4: JJ Bleday takes over cleanup duties
• No. 5: Spencer Steer rounds out the top five

Strategy, matchups, and lineup flexibility

Francona’s approach signals a shift away from rigid, textbook slotting. He’s leaning into a more responsive, results-driven plan.

By prioritizing the current hot hitters in premium spots, Cincinnati wants to maximize on-base chances and run production in the early innings. The Reds’ manager said lineup construction can be matchup-dependent, so Wednesday’s arrangement might look different on days when left-handed pitching looms.

This flexible philosophy reflects a broader MLB trend. Teams now lean on recent hot streaks to drive immediate results instead of clinging to traditional one-through-nine order conventions.

Beyond the top five, the rest of the lineup depends on the opponent’s roster decisions. Francona believes a team’s best current performers can generate more offense when they get chances to drive in runs and set the tone early in games.

If the plan pays off, Benson’s speed and De La Cruz’s contact and power could set things in motion. Stewart’s bat control, Bleday’s presence, and Steer’s pop might round out a strong front end for Cincinnati.

Not every move goes without controversy or context, though. Ke’Bryan Hayes didn’t make the lineup, and that’s a storyline tied to recent late-game decisions—pinch-hitting for him with the bases loaded, then pulling him later in the game. It’s drawn questions about decision-making in tight moments.

On the flip side, Nathaniel Lowe returned as the designated hitter after a day off the bench against a right-hander and his former team. That’s sparked some talk about roster management versus situational needs.

Looking ahead, Nick Lodolo was scheduled to start for the Reds in the second game of the series. It’ll be his second start of the season.

The first pitch was set for 6:40 PM ET at Great American Ball Park. Cincinnati gets a chance to test this refreshed approach against Washington and see if prioritizing hot bats at the top really pays off, at least in the short term.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Reds move up Elly De La Cruz, Sal Stewart in lineup shuffle