Reds' Nick Senzel: Leading off in spring debut
Senzel (shoulder) will lead off while serving as the Reds' designated hitter Thursday in a Cactus League game against the Brewers, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
The Reds are expected to ease Senzel back to action in a purely offensive role while he nears the finishing stages of his rehab from September surgery on his right shoulder. The 24-year-old has been able to take part in defensive drills in center field this spring, but the Reds want to see him make more progress in his throwing program before deploying him at the position during the Cactus League slate. Senzel is optimistic that he'll be fully cleared by the time Opening Day arrives, and the fact that he's leading off in his spring debut suggests that he could be a candidate for those duties during the regular season. Offseason pickup Shogo Akiyama likely represents Senzel's top threat for the table-setting job.
