Reds’ Barnhart, Stephenson playing like everyday catchers
Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell has shared the same message this season with catcher Tucker Barnhart and catcher Tyler Stephenson.
As the Reds platoon their starting catcher depending on the opposing pitcher, Bell has told both Barnhart and Stephenson that it’s not for a lack of confidence in either of them hitting same-handed pitchers. He had to divide playing time somehow between the 2020 Gold Glove winner and one of the best rookie hitters in MLB, and a platoon split made the most sense.
“They’ve both had great seasons,” Bell said. “It’s worked out. I know they both want to play every day and they both deserve to play a lot, if not every day. We’ll continue to go in that direction though.”
In April, especially as the Reds faced almost exclusively right-handed starting pitchers, Barnhart started 16 of the Reds 25 games. Stephenson received more playing time at first base in May when Joey Votto was injured, and Barnhart started 18 of the Reds 27 games behind the plate.
Stephenson’s playing time waned in June, when he started only six games in a 20-day stretch. But over the past two months, Stephenson has hit his way into more opportunities
It’s helped that the Reds have faced more left-handed starters, but Barnhart and Stephenson had a 15-to-13 start split in August. Barnhart has been the personal catcher for starting pitcher Wade Miley, but the Reds coaching staff has split time exactly evenly between Barnhart and Stephenson when any other starting pitcher has been on the mound.
While Barnhart is having the best offensive season of his career, the lefthanded Barnhart is hitting slightly better in a small sample size against left-handed pitchers. He has a .746 OPS in 277 plate appearances against right-handed pitchers and a .771 OPS against in 49 plate appearances versus left-handed pitchers.
Stephenson, a right-handed hitter, has a .799 OPS against right-handed pitchers and a .816 OPS against lefthanded pitchers.
With Barnhart and Stephenson splitting time, Reds catchers have the sixth-highest OPS in MLB.