Terry Francona may have stumbled into perfect Reds lineup solution nobody saw coming

Reds manager Terry Francona moved rookie Héctor Rodríguez to the leadoff spot for Wednesday's game against the Giants, and Rodríguez responded with three hits and two solo home runs in a comeback victory. Rodríguez had entered the game with a weak .265 on-base percentage but was riding a four-game hit streak and has gone 8-for-21 with three homers over his last five games. Francona had previously expressed reluctance about Elly De La Cruz batting leadoff, stating the team lacked a suitable everyday option for the position. Rodríguez's lack of success against left-handed pitchers—0-for-5 this season—could complicate Francona's decision when the Reds face Cubs left-hander David Peterson on Friday.

Summary written by MLB Feed Network based on the original reporting. How we write summaries