Espinal will start at third base and bat second in Tuesday's contest against the White Sox.
Usual No. 2 hitter Matt McLain has been demoted to the No. 8 spot in the lineup. Espinal has hit second a handful of times this season but has made most of his starts much lower in the batting order, including hitting ninth in the Reds' previous game Sunday.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Steals bag in loss
Rotowire
Espinal started at third base and went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in Friday's 3-0 loss to Houston.
The stolen base was the first of the season for Espinal, who logged 11 thefts in a part-time role for the Reds in 2024. He's been more of a regular in 2025, appearing in 31 of Cincinnati's 40 games to date. Friday's start was his fifth in a row at third base since Noelvi Marte (oblique) became unavailable. It was Espinal's 10th overall start, including outings at shortstop, left field and right field. With Austin Hays activated off the injured list Friday, that frees up Gavin Lux to usurp starts at the third base, but Espinal has been a valuable and productive piece and should maintain a semi-regular role.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Primed for everyday role
Rotowire
Espinal will start at third base and bat fifth in Wednesday's game against Atlanta.
Espinal will pick up his eighth straight start Wednesday and his third in a row at third base, which could be his primary home for the foreseeable future after Noelvi Marte was placed on the 10-day injured list with a Grade 2 oblique strain. The 30-year-old Espinal has recorded at least one hit in each of his previous seven starts to lift his average up to .333 over 87 at-bats. Espinal could continue to occupy a spot in the heart of the lineup while he's swinging a hot bat and while the Reds are without multiple key hitters due to injuries.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Logs Reds' lone hit
Rotowire
Espinal started at third base and went 1-for-3 in Monday's 4-0 loss to Atlanta.
The hot-hitting Espinal got the start over a slumping Noelvi Marte (3-for-22 in last six games) and extended his hit streak to six games. It was Cincinnati's lone hit. The versatile Espinal is 11-for-22 with two doubles and five RBI during the hot stretch.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Cracks three hits in loss
Rotowire
Espinal started at third base and went 3-for-4 in Saturday's 11-6 loss to the Nationals.
Espinal made a fourth straight start, this time filling in for the resting Noelvi Marte at third base. He's also started in left field twice and at second base once during that stretch, going 9-for-15 with two doubles, five RBI and two runs scored. The utility player is slashing .347/.402/.413 through 25 games and could end up holding down a near-everyday role while Austin Hays (hamstring), Christian Encarnacion-Strand (back) and Jeimer Candelario (back) are all on the injured list.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Fills in as left fielder
Rotowire
Espinal started in left field and went 1-for-3 with a walk, a double, two RBI and a run scored in Friday's 6-1 win over Washington.
Espinal started the last two games in left field and should help fill the void left by Austin Hays' hamstring injury, which landed him on the 10-day injured list. Espinal is expected to start in left against left-handers while Hays is unavailable, and Gavin Lux should start there against righties. Espinal will also move around as needed in the infield. He's batting .324/.385/.394 over 24 games (78 plate appearances) this season.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Drives in two runs
Rotowire
Espinal went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored in Thursday's 9-1 win against the Cardinals.
Espinal delivered his second consecutive multi-hit game and finished the three-game set versus St. Louis with five hits in nine plate appearances. The 30-year-old hasn't had a regular presence in the lineup since Matt McLain returned from his hamstring injury in mid-April, but Espinal has been performing well as a bench option this year with a .324/.378/.382 slash line through 23 contests.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: On bench in second straight
Rotowire
Espinal is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mariners.
After making four consecutive starts in the infield -- including three in a row at second base -- Espinal shifted to the bench for Tuesday's 8-4 win with Matt McLain (hamstring) manning the keystone in his return from the injured list. McLain should handle everyday duties at second base moving forward, leaving Espinal to fill a utility role that may afford him only a handful of starts per week.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Logs first RBI of 2025
Rotowire
Espinal went 2-for-4 with two RBI in Sunday's 4-0 win over the Pirates.
Espinal got the scoring started Sunday with a two-run single in the third inning that brought home Austin Wynns and TJ Friedl. It was Espinal's first RBI of the season, and he's gone 5-for-15 over his last four starts.
Reds' Santiago Espinal: Gets another start at second base
Rotowire
Espinal started at second base and went 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored in Saturday's 11-7 win over the Brewers.
Espinal filled in at second base after Matt McLain (hamstring) was a late scratch. It was the second straight start at the keystone for Espinal, who is 6-for-21 with two walks and two runs scored through seven games. McLain may also be held out of Sunday's lineup, per a report from Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Fills in at second base
Rotowire
Espinal started at second base and went 2-for-3 with a walk in Friday's 3-2 loss to Milwaukee.
Espinal filled in for an injured Matt McLain (hamstring), who was available as a pinch hitter. That McLain entered the game suggests he might be ready to go Saturday. Espinal has appeared in six games this season while seeing time at second base, third base, left field and right field.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Makes season debut
Rotowire
Espinal started at third base and went 2-for-3 in Saturday's 3-2 win over the Giants.
Espinal, who entered the starting lineup for the first time, filled in at third base while Jeimer Candelario handled DH duties for Spencer Steer, who was given a rest day. The hot corner could be a revolving door over the first month of the season. In addition to Espinal and Candelario, Gavin Lux and Steer could see time there. At this point, Lux is covering left field for the injured Austin Hays (calf) and Steer is dealing with a shoulder that's limited him to DH and could prompt more rest days than normal.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Two spring games, two XBH
Rotowire
Espinal started at shortstop and went 1-for-2 with a triple and a run scored in Sunday's spring game against the Giants.
Espinal has appeared in two Cactus League games -- both at shortstop -- and made an impact in both. Prior to Sunday's triple, he homered in a split-squad game against the Brewers on Saturday. The 30-year-old utility infielder/outfielder was useful to the Reds in 2024, establishing career highs in home runs (nine) and steals (11), as the team dealt with injuries throughout the roster. Cincinnati re-signed him during the offseason, presumably with the intent of having him fill a similar role in 2025.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Inks deal with Cincy
Rotowire
Espinal and the Reds agreed to a one-year, $2.4 million contract Friday to avoid arbitration, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
Espinal was traded from the Blue Jays to the Reds in March and had a .246/.295/.356 slash line with nine home runs and 11 steals in 118 games during 2024. He should fill a utility role for Cincinnati again in 2025.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Fills in at second base
Rotowire
Espinal started at second base and went 1-for-3 in Wednesday's 5-2 loss to Cleveland.
Espinal filled in at second base for Jonathan India, who was held out of the starting lineup after clearing concussion protocol. Espinal's in a skid to end the season, going 4-for-37 (.108) over the 11 games, but he's been productive overall during the second half.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Absent from lineup
Rotowire
Espinal is not in the lineup for Friday's contest versus the Pirates.
After starting each of the previous 16 games, Espinal will begin Friday's series opener on the bench. Noelvi Marte will hold down third base for the Reds.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Slides to second base
Rotowire
Espinal started at second base and went 0-for-4 in Monday's 1-0 win over Atlanta.
Espinal, who has been seeing regular duty at third base, moved over to second to cover for the injured Jonathan India (elbow), who was removed from Sunday's contest and absent from Monday's lineup. Espinal is 4-for-21 over the last six games, but his second-half body of work remains strong -- he's batting .358/.402/.514 over 33 games since the All-Star break.
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Reds' Santiago Espinal: Getting call at third base
Rotowire
Espinal will start at third base and bat eighth in Wednesday's contest against the Astros.
Espinal has started two straight and five of the last eight games at third base, as it's looking like he has leapfrogged Noelvi Marte on the depth chart at the position. The 29-year-old Espinal is slashing .398/.436/.580 since the All-Star break and should continue to receive regular reps while he's swinging a hot bat.
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