Cincinnati Reds are getting a big boost towards bouncing back from brutal start of season

The Cincinnati Reds received some good fortune on Wednesday

Entering MLB Opening Day on Friday, the Cincinnati Reds were feeling great after a solid victory over the lowly Detroit Tigers to start their season. After that game, the Reds dropped to a four game losing streak, but many of that is due to the variety of players hitting the injured list.

Two of those players were second baseman Mike Moustakas and outfielder Nick Senzel, both of whom felt sick heading into their Sunday contest. Even though they both had multiple negative COVID-19 tests, the league still held them on the sidelines due to protocols.

Both players filed an appeal against the league, and on Wednesday, they won out. So, they’ll officially return to the lineup against the Chicago Cubs, meaning the Reds have a grand opportunity to turn their season around.

The return of Moustakas and Senzel could turn season around

The Reds, looking to emerge from the bottom of the NL Central standings, spent a ton of money on the open market. While Nicholas Castellanos was the big get, the addition of Moustakas was universally applauded across the league.

Through two games, Moustakas made an immediate impact on the team. In the Opening Day battle against the Tigers, the second baseman had three hits and drove in four runs. His presence was obviously missed once he was sidelined with COVID-19 symptoms.

As for Senzel, he’s been hitless through seven at-bats. In 2019, the outfielder batted .256 and recorded a .742 OPS, while hitting 12 home runs and 42 RBI.

When you look at Cincinnati’s three losses since both players were sidelined, they weren’t blowouts. Two of those losses came by one run, with the exception being their 8-5 loss to the Cubs on Tuesday. You certainly wonder if those results would stand had Moustakas and Senzel been in the lineup. Now, the Reds have the chance to really bounce back and try to live up to their lofty expectations in 2020.