#roster-turnover

#roster-turnover

Not long ago, the Reds found themselves in possession of what looked to be a borderline surplus of infielders. Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Jonathan India, Noelvi Marte, Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand all had varying levels big league experience even before Cincinnati signed Jeimer Candelario to a three-year contract. A wide range of opinions on how to best divide the playing time persisted, but the Reds had the makings of a formidable collection of young bats.

"As players, we have to move on," said left tackle Jordan Mailata. "That is the only way we can improve or strive to perform this season. We can't carry the baggage from last season -- good or bad -- you can't bring it in. It's just like a new relationship. You've got to buy into that because you see everyone else buying into it. And you can see who doesn't buy in because you get left behind."

The Bills have a tendency to play Lawful Good Football in even years and Chaotic Neutral Football in odd years so far this decade, and the pattern held in 2024. Blowout wins in primetime games against Miami and Jacksonville in Weeks 2 and 3 were a damn strong argument that the Bills hadn't gone anywhere, even as key contributors like Stefon Diggs, Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, or Tre'Davious White had departed in the offseason.

As Payton Tolle prepares to make his debut at Fenway Park against Paul Skenes and an ailing Pirates team, much can be made by comparing Opening Day rosters and current day rosters, and specifically, how much longer the lower-level relief guys go in games. It's not uncommon at all to see Greenville and Salem use just two pitchers in games to the point of them getting torched, which seems counterproductive to the idea of letting guys develop naturally.