Nathaniel

Lowe

Lowe has been swinging a hot bat for the Reds, slashing .273/.333/.636 with six homers and 11 RBI over 60 plate appearances in his last 16 games. He’ll get a breather in this one though. Sal Stewart will serve as the team’s designated hitter while Spencer Steer covers first base and Ke’Bryan Hayes draws a start at the hot corner.

It’s a routine off day for McLain with Reds manager Terry Francona moving Sal Stewart to second base to get Nathaniel Lowe into the lineup at DH to face Pirates righty Carmen Mlodzinski. JJ Bleday has been bumped up to the second spot in the order with McLain on the bench.

Lowe’s homer was his fifth of the year, a second-inning solo shot off Michael Lorenzen, and he later doubled and scored again. He was playing sporadically to begin the season but has now made seven straight starts at DH with Eugenio Suárez (oblique) on the IL. All of his round-trippers have come during this stretch.

Stewart has made five appearances at third base this season, but this is his first start. He started four games for the Reds there last year and plenty in the minor leagues, so we know he can play the position. What’s most interesting is that this allows the Reds to get Nathaniel Lowe in the lineup at first base and could open up a path to play both Stewart and Lowe when Eugenio Suarez (oblique) is off the IL and back at DH. This could be bad news for Ke’Bryan Hayes’ playing time.

After homering three times in the first two games of the series — including a two-run walk-off as the Reds were down to their final out on Saturday — Lowe kept the party going as he smacked a Keider Montero knucklecurve for a 372-foot (98.6 mph EV) solo shot to get the Reds on the board in the second inning. He finished the afternoon 1-for-4 and is now hitting a respectable .256/.333/.605 with four homers and 10 RBI on the season.

The Reds entered the ninth inning facing a one-run deficit and were down to their final out against Tigers’ closer Kenley Jansen with no one on base. Spencer Steer kept hope alive with a two-out single before Lowe stepped up and played the role of hero. He crushed an 0-1 sinker for a 396-foot (104.6 mph EV) two-run shot that sent the Reds’ home faithful into a frenzy. He also swatted a solo shot off of Kyle Finnegan in the sixth inning. The 30-year-old finished the night 2-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBI and is now slashing a solid .257/.333/.514 with a pair of homers and eight RBI on the season.

It doesn’t sound like anything overly concerning, so the 34-year-old slugger should be considered day-to-day. Ke’Bryan Hayes will man the hot corner and bat ninth for the Reds while Nathaniel Lowe functions as the designated hitter against Framber Valdez and the Tigers on Friday evening in Cincinnati.

Matt McLain, who is off to a brutal start hitting .183 (13-for-71) with three extra-base hits and three steals in 20 games, takes a seat with Stewart getting a look at second base for the second time this season. Nathaniel Lowe gets into the lineup at the cold corner. It’s far too early for Cincinnati to consider any significant changes, but McLain’s slow start opens the door for Stewart to see additional time at the keystone. That would be a significant development for his fantasy appeal if he gains eligibility at one of the thinnest positions in the game.

Hayes hasn’t had a hit since April 5 and is slashing a pitiful .064/.137/.064 with one RBI and a 4/4 K/BB ratio in 51 plate appearances on the season. It doesn’t matter how good he picks it at third base, that level of offense isn’t going to cut it. Nathaniel Lowe will start as the team’s designated hitter and bat sixth while Eugenio Suarez mans the hot corner.

It’s just a routine day off for the veteran with a day game after a night game. Nathaniel Lowe will start in his place at designated hitter and draws a tough assignment with Paul Skenes pitching for the Pirates.