With Jesse Winker having returned to the starting lineup for Monday’s series opener in San Francisco after a bout with a stomach bug and calf cramps, the Reds have to figure out what to do with the hot-hitting Tyler Naquin.

And by that we mean they have to figure out how to pronounce “Naquin.”

Naquin has been in the big leagues since 2016, and the pronunciation of his last name has never been in doubt. It’s “Nay-quin.” Or, so it appeared, until Joey Votto tried to French-ify the last name of his new teammate.

“It’s French, if I’m not mistaken,” Votto said. “You can laugh all you want, but it’s French, I speak French, it’s ‘Nah-kin.’”

We’ll leave it to the linguists to determine if the French pronunciation applies to a guy from Spring, Texas. But it’s up to Reds manager David Bell to determine when Naquin is in the starting lineup.

With Winker in left and batting leadoff Monday, Naquin and his early .290/.389/.806 slash were given a rest. And so begins Bell’s daily dilemma of too many guys for not enough spots in the outfield. Naquin, Nick Senzel and Nick Castellanos have all been exceptional in the early going, and Winker was the club’s best hitter in 2020.

“We have four outfielders that are playing a lot and really well,” Bell said, “and we have another outfielder with [Aristides] Aquino that I’d like to be getting more playing time to because he’s in a really good place offensively. It’s a challenge, but we’ll get through it and make the most of it. It’s definitely a positive.”

Another positive is the medical progress of outfielder Shogo Akiyama, whose 2021 debut has been delayed by a left hamstring issue. Akiyama is now in what Bell classified as a normal Spring Training progression.

“He’s hitting, he’s doing everything,” Bell said. “We’ll have him back early May.”

So a crowded outfield could get more complicated in the coming weeks. And as if things weren’t complicated enough, now Votto has tossed a Naquin pronunciation controversy into the mix.

Bell touched by Giant gesture
Giants outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. requested the opportunity to deliver the lineup card at home plate prior to Monday’s 3-0 victory over the Giants.

As a member of the Twins last year, Wade knew the late Mike Bell, who served as Minnesota’s bench coach, and wanted to personally extend his condolences to his brother, David.

“What an unbelievable gesture by LaMonte and Gabe [Kapler] and the Giants,” Bell said. “All I could think is how much it meant to me and to our family. Just another sign, another example of the people that Mike touched. I was blown away. I shouldn’t be at this point because people have been incredible, the support has been just unbelievable, and it’s helped us so much.”

Mike Bell died of cancer on March 26, at the age of 46.

Vaccination update
Bell could not say what percentage of the Reds’ traveling party has been vaccinated against COVID-19.

“It’s important, but it’s also personal,” Bell said. “So I haven’t started asking that question too much. I know that we’ve started the process, but I don’t know for sure how many.”

MLB and the MLB Players Association agreed to relax the health and safety protocols when 85% of players and traveling staff are vaccinated. Until then, teams that haven’t reached that percentage must remain diligent on the road.

“It is different, going to cities that we’re all used to going to, but not experiencing them in the same way,” Bell said. “But overall, we don’t have anything to complain about. We’re grateful to be able to travel, to be able to play, to be able to have fans in the stands.”

Bell reunited with … his babysitter?
When the Reds play the Giants, it’s personal for Bell. Very personal. Not only did Bell play for the Giants in 2002 and serve as their vice president of player development in 2018, but San Francisco broadcaster Duane Kuiper, who played with Bell’s father, Buddy, in Cleveland from 1974-78, once babysat Bell.

“I think there’s a diaper change involved with the story,” Bell said with a smile.