When the Cincinnati Reds played the San Diego Padres last Monday, Tyler Naquin was initially in the lineup batting second and playing right field. The Reds were only on a six-game losing streak at the time, and Naquin had been the best power threat in the middle of the Reds’ order.
Then just a few hours before first pitch, Naquin went on the COVID Injured List with an illness. The Reds offense took a step back without him as the losing streak snowballed to 10 games.
Naquin returned to the Reds active roster on Saturday, and he was right back in the starting lineup hitting leadoff.