Noelvi Marte made his first Major League start in right field over the weekend against the New York Mets. Reds manager Terry Francona mentioned that the position change had been talked about for a while, but Sunday's series finale against the Mets — with a left-hander on the mound — allowed Cincinnati to finally see Marte get his first taste of the outfield.
When word of the position change broke, most Reds fans assumed it to be a signal of the team's intentions at the MLB trade deadline. There's a lack of impact outfield bats available, but third basemen like Eugenio Suárez or Ryan McMahon are on the trade block and could help bolster the Reds' lineup for the second-half of the season.