Willy Taveras, signed in the offseason to be the ignition switch as a leadoff hitter and a stellar defensive player, missed his first game on opening day Monday.
Taveras came down with the flu, which was running rampant through the Reds' clubhouse. He hopes to play Wednesday against the Mets in Game 2. In Taveras' place on opening day, Jerry Hairston Jr. batted leadoff and played left field. Last year the Reds were 24-16 when Hairston batted leadoff.
But the right-handed hitter was 0-for-4 with a strikeout Monday in a 2-1 loss to the Mets, and he probably won't play Wednesday with New York right-hander Mike Pelfrey on the mound.
Taveras, who stole 63 bases last year, will bat leadoff and play center field while rookie Chris Dickerson, a left-hander, figures to play left field and bat second.
Play FOX Fantasy Baseball today
