Winker (illness) remains out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Pirates.

EDGE Analysis

Manager David Bell will keep Winker on the bench for a fourth straight day while he continues to work through an illness. The Reds have an off day on tap Thursday, which could provide Winker with enough time to get closer to 100 percent health ahead of a weekend series in Arizona.

Winker (illness) will sit for the third straight game Tuesday against Pittsburgh.

EDGE Analysis

Winker left in the middle of Saturday's game against the Cardinals with the illness, and it's apparently bad enough that he's still feeling the effects three days later. Tyler Naquin remains the starter in left field in his absence. Winker is at least back with the team and could appear off the bench, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Winker (illness) remains out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Pirates.

EDGE Analysis

Winker will stick on the bench for a second straight game while he continues to recover from the illness that forced him out of Saturday's win over the Cardinals. Tyler Naquin will spell him in left field while serving as Cincinnati's leadoff hitter.

Winker (illness) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cardinals.

EDGE Analysis

Winker was removed from Saturday's 9-6 win after feeling under the weather, so he's presumably just getting a day off to recuperate from the ailment. Tyler Naqun will man left field and hit leadoff in Winker's stead.

Manager David Bell said Winker was removed from Saturday's win over the Cardinals because the outfielder "wasn't feeling great," C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 27-year-old went 1-for-4 with one run before being replaced by Nick Senzel to open the sixth inning. It doesn't appear to be a serious concern, so Winker may not miss time and should be considered day-to-day.

Winker (hip) will lead off and play left field Thursday against the Royals, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

EDGE Analysis

Winker was scratched Monday with a sore hip, but the Reds called that decision "very precautionary." That appears to be correct, as he's now back in the lineup just three days later. Opening Day is still four weeks away, so he'll have plenty of time to get up to speed by the start of the season.

Winker's removal from the lineup with a sore hip prior to Monday's game against Oakland was "very precautionary" per manager David Bell, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

EDGE Analysis

Teams have very little reason not to be cautious this early in camp, so it's no surprise to see that the Reds aren't particularly worried about Winker's health. "He's come into spring training and really ramped up fast," stated manager David Bell. "I think that's a good sign that he was feeling so strong and really excited to be here. Sometimes you do have to be a little careful." While he may sit for a few more days in that same spirit of caution, his readiness for Opening Day isn't under serious threat.

Winker was scratched from the lineup ahead of Monday's game against Oakland due to a sore right hip, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The issue doesn't sound particularly serious, and Opening Day is still a full month away, but it would obviously be preferable for Winker to not already be battling even a minor injury so early in camp. He's coming off a strong year but may be forced to fight for at-bats this season as the designated hitter spot he occupied for much of last year won't be used in the National League, so any extended absence could hurt his push for playing time. Mark Payton will play left field in his absence Monday.

Reds manager David Bell said that Winker worked "really hard" over the offseason to improve his defense and has increased his speed, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.. "I don't know how he did that," Bell said. "Every extra step is a big deal."

EDGE Analysis

Without the DH in the NL, Winker's defensive ability takes on a greater sense of urgency. The Reds already have a defensive liability in right field in Nick Castellanos, and Winker previously has been rated poorly as a defender. The team would prefer not to be below average in both corners, and a lack of improvement could lead to either Winker or Castellanos being replaced in the late innings frequently.

Winker and the Reds avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.15 million contract Friday, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

EDGE Analysis

Winker took a step forward at the plate in 2020, though it's perhaps more accurate to say he took two steps forward and one step back. He was suddenly no longer a contact hitter, as his 25.1 percent strikeout rate was nearly 10 points worse than the 15.2 percent mark he managed over his first three seasons, but he more than made up for it with a big jump in power. His .289 ISO smashed his .181 mark through his first three campaigns, leading to 12 homers in just 54 games and an overall .255/.388/.544 slash line.