Five days post-debut, Hinds' historic stretch turns grand

CINCINNATI -- What a week rookie Rece Hinds is having.

Normally, with a right-handed pitcher starting against the Reds, such as Marlins starter Yonny Chirinos on Friday, manager David Bell might have gone with a lefty hitter to start in right field.

Not this time -- especially the way the right-handed Hinds has been hitting. He rewarded the decision by hitting the first grand slam of his young career during Cincinnati's 7-4 victory over Miami at Great American Ball Park.

“I’m very grateful to come up here and succeed as quickly as I did," said Hinds, who is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the organization's No. 15 prospect.

Hinds, 23, has seven extra-base hits over his first five Major League games, which is tied for the most with four others since at least 1901. Rowdy Tellez was the most recent to achieve the feat in 2018 for the Blue Jays. The first five hits of Hinds' career were all for extra bases.

“It’s unheard of, really," Reds manager David Bell said. "Rece isn’t surprised. People throughout our organization aren’t really surprised. Obviously, he’s swinging the bat great and really in a groove. He has the ability to do it. He has the talent to do it. To step right in at this level and do what he’s capable of says a lot about Rece, his preparation, what he’s gone through to get himself here.”

Called up from Triple-A Louisville on Monday amid multiple injuries to outfielders, Hinds has been just the offensive jolt the Reds needed in their efforts to remain factors in the National League playoff race.

Still mulling its options whether to be buyers or sellers at the July 30 Trade Deadline, Cincinnati (46-49) has won four of its past five games to improve to 4-4 during a critical 10-game homestand heading into the All-Star break.

"I’m so happy for him," center fielder Will Benson said of Hinds. "I’m also grateful for the impact he’s had to help us win some of these games. Hopefully that gives him a boost of confidence to know, ‘Hey, I’m capable of doing it.’ That’s the biggest thing with this league."

The Reds took a quick 3-0 lead against Chirinos as Jonathan India led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run to center field, the 10th leadoff homer of his career and his first of 2024. Two batters later, Jeimer Candelario went deep to right field for his 15th homer of the season.

Benson's two-out RBI double in the second inning gave Cincinnati a three-run lead.

The bases were loaded with two outs in the third inning against Chirinos when Hinds lifted a first-pitch fastball to right-center field for the grand slam.

“I knew he had to come to me with the bases loaded," Hinds said. "I got it and capitalized."

"We need to get that ball down, or another pitch," Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. "It's tough to question pitch selection. However, that was up and that's one he hits. You want to be on the attack with him, but where the pitch was, is not where you want it."

By the standard he's set, Hind's third home run's Statcast-projected distance of 397 feet paled by comparison to his other two. The first, on Monday vs. the Rockies, traveled 449 feet. On Tuesday, also vs. Colorado, he launched a 458-foot homer.

“He’s the answer to how far you can hit a baseball," said Reds starting pitcher Carson Spiers, who played two seasons in the Minors with Hinds. "Seeing what he’s doing up here, he’s a special talent. It’s fun to watch. I hope he can keep doing it.”

Spiers, who struck out a career-high nine batters over five innings, matched Thursday starter Hunter Greene by striking out his first six batters. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, no team in the Expansion Era (since 1961), has had back-to-back games where the starters struck out the first six batters.

Spiers gave up Jesús Sánchez's three-run homer in the fourth inning and finished having allowed three runs on six hits with no walks.

Ever since he was a second-round selection in the 2019 Draft, the Reds projected that Hinds' power could be impactful in the big leagues.

As expected, many opposing pitchers have made noticeable adjustments.

“I’ve seen a lot more offspeed," Hinds said. "I think everyone saw [that] I came up pretty quick swinging. I think I swung at the first five, six pitches I saw in my debut. I think it’s already shown I’m an aggressive hitter. I just have to stick to what I want to do, stay aggressive and stay aggressive with my plan.”