It was a bold and surprising choice by Reds manager David Bell.

For Tuesday’s starting lineup vs. the Nationals, Bell moved the league’s most struggling offensive player -- third baseman Eugenio Suárez -- into the leadoff spot.

“Really, [it’s] just to help Geno,” Bell said. “Just doing anything we can to mix it up a little bit. It's really just a matter of time before he gets going. More than anything, [it’ll] just give him a different look. Just doing anything we can to get him going.”

The decision paid off for Cincinnati during a 2-1 victory over Washington. Although Suárez struck out three times, he also had a leadoff home run to right-center field against Nationals ace Max Scherzer in the top of the sixth inning. It proved to be the difference in the game.

“It feels great,” Suárez said after the game. “After two strikeouts, I knew I had to make adjustments against Max Scherzer, one of the best pitchers in the league, everyone knows that. He missed up -- a changeup right in my strike zone -- and I was ready to hit it.”

Suárez entered Tuesday in a 1-for-21 stretch over his previous six games with seven strikeouts. He left 14 runners on base in that span -- including five during Sunday’s 9-4 loss to the Brewers.

Batting .148/.228/.343 in 44 games overall, Suárez came in with the lowest batting average in the Major Leagues among qualified hitters, and he leads the National League with 62 strikeouts.

“This year it's been tough for me,” Suárez said before Tuesday’s game. “I know what I can do, and my comfort level is there every time. I believe in myself. I know I can pass through this moment that I have right now. I've got an opportunity to play every day, so I've made my adjustment. I play day by day, that's it.”

Bell informed Suárez of his plan to bat him at the top of the order during Monday’s off-day as the team traveled to Washington, D.C. Not only was the 29-year-old willing to give it a try, he was thrilled to do it.

Suárez has never batted leadoff in the big leagues.

“I was so excited,” Suárez said. “I told him I wanted that challenge, I've never been there before. I've never hit in that spot before, but I like it. Like I told him, I'm ready to play whatever you need me, but this is going to be fun for me. So fun.

“We’ll just enjoy it. I'll do my best, of course. I'm ready to hit that wave and enjoy it at the same time.”

In 420 plate appearances since the start of the 2020 season, Suárez was batting .177 with a 76 OPS+. He’s been doing his best to self-diagnose his struggles, and he is working with hitting coach Alan Zinter and assistant Joe Mather.

When Suárez watches video of his swing, he finds himself watching a lot from 2019, the breakout season when he slugged a career-best 49 home runs.

“I try to take the good things I did that year and just that year,” said Suárez, who came in with nine homers in 2021.

As for what’s gone wrong this season, the coaches gave Suárez their thoughts.

“I think I've been putting too much pressure on myself,” Suárez said. “What they see is that I feel tired on my upper body. I've got pressure on my stance. … When you have a year like this one, -- last year was [tough], too -- you start thinking too much. What I have to do, what I don't have to do. All that stuff is still on my mind and, you know, I feel like when I have so many things on my mind, I don't have time to compete. To me, that's more mental than anything else. I try to be strong. I'm a strong guy. I know what I can do. I have to still believe in myself, believe in what I do. It's nothing mechanical.”

Stephenson getting settled at first base
Tuesday marked rookie catcher Tyler Stephenson’s fourth start this season at first base. Prior to 2021, he had never played the position as a professional.

“I’m obviously feeling a lot better about it now,” Stephenson said. “Just kind of get that first game over with. I got my first out last game, so that felt better fielding a ground ball cleanly and not blocking it off my chest. Day by day, game by game, just continuing to feel better, so I’m excited.”

Stephenson spent extensive time the past couple of weeks learning first base, including taking individual lessons from the injured Joey Votto.

What’s the hardest part of playing first base that Stephenson didn’t know about until actually playing there?

“I think it’s just really the positioning with the shifts,” he replied. “I remember the last time I played in high school, it was just very generic. Just stand somewhere off first base. The different positions, especially with a righty up, being a lot further from the base. It’s almost like a panic, kind of, any time that happens and you’re so far off the bag. You’re like, ‘Man, I have to hurry up and get there and beat this guy.’

"There are sometimes you get to the bag, you turn around and the throw is already coming. That’s something that Joey was working with me on back at home. Just get to the bag and always anticipate a bad throw and stuff because you never know.”

Gutierrez on Friday
The Reds announced on Tuesday that right-handed pitcher Vladimir Gutierrez will start on Friday vs. the Cubs at Wrigley Field. It will be the Major League debut for Gutierrez, who ranks as Cincinnati's No. 12 prospect.

Last month, Gutierrez finished serving an 80-game suspension for violating MLB’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. He is 2-0 with a 2.65 ERA in three starts for Triple-A Louisville.

Signed out of Cuba in 2016, the 25-year-old Gutierrez had strong performances during winter ball in the Dominican Republic and with the Reds during Spring Training.