At a time when fewer balls are put in play than ever, Major League Baseball’s oldest franchise is conducting a thoroughly modern baseball experiment: How much does defense really matter?

Over the last two offseasons, the Cincinnati Reds have bolstered their offense by worrying less and less about their fielding. They signed Nick Castellanos, one of the worst defensive outfielders in baseball, and third baseman Mike Moustakas to play second base because they are both productive hitters. They figured they could limit the exposure of Moustakas’s lack of range because of all their defensive shifts, and that Castellanos’s poor outfield play wouldn’t matter as much with the Reds playing their home games at Great American Ballpark, which has some of the smallest dimensions in the game. Since it opened in 2003, more home runs have been hit there than at any other big league ballpark. 

Cincinnati made the postseason in 2020, the first year of its grand experiment, and in the offseason, the Reds let shortstop Freddy Galvis leave in free agency and failed to add one to replace him. Instead, they moved third baseman Eugenio Suárez over to short, the premium infield defensive position he hasn't played since 2015. Who cares if he makes the plays? He rakes! Moustakas is back playing third and rookie Jonathan India, Cincinnati’s first-round draft pick in 2018, is starting at second.

You can probably see where this is going. In Thursday’s opener against the Cardinals, which St. Louis won 11–7, Suárez botched his first two chances in the field and cost the Reds at least a few runs. The Cardinals were leading 1–0 in the first inning and the bases were loaded with one out when Yadier Molina bounced a routine double play ball to Suárez's right. Going for the backhand, the shortstop whiffed at it, allowing Molina to reach and two runners to score. Then, on the next pitch, Dylan Carlson ripped a three-run homer off the right-field foul pole.