Cincinnati Reds’ Noelvi Marte on move from third base to right field
Cincinnati Reds’ Noelvi Marte was in the lineup in the outfield Sunday for the first time in his career after spending his life as an infielder.
Noelvi Marte, originally an infielder, made his first career start in center field for the Cincinnati Reds.Marte transitioned to right field after the Reds acquired Ke’Bryan Hayes.Manager Terry Francona opted for an all-righty lineup against Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, leading to Marte’s start in center.
LOS ANGELES – If Noelvi Marte wasn’t sure he was an outfielder before Tuesday night, the former shortstop got his first career start in center field for the Cincinnati Reds.
Marte, a lifetime infielder who moved to right field full time after third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes was acquired at the trade deadline, got the start in center as manager Terry Francona went to an all-righty lineup against Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw.
Francona said outfield coach Collin Cowgill noted Marte was more comfortable in center than right when they worked him out in the outfield last month in preparation for the move.
“A lot of outfielders are, except that you have to have the tools to maybe play it. He certainly does,” Francona said. “It’s way easier to see the ball off the bat. But you’ve got to be athletic enough to be able to go get it or it can be kind of lonely.”
Marte played center for the first time professionally the final two innings of the Reds’ blowout loss to the Diamondbacks over the weekend in Arizona.
“I wanted to give TJ (Friedl) a night because I think it can really help him,” Francona said of his lefty-hitting leadoff man, who’s been struggling in recent weeks (11-for-last-63 .175). “And we can get another right-handed bat in the lineup. And I think (Marte) will be fine.”
Already one of the Reds’ better hitters this season since opening in the minors, Marte has thrived since settling into right full time (.313 this month with a .538 slugging percentage, entering Tuesday’s game).