“He looks like Ted Williams out there.”

Now batting .370 on the season, Jeff McNeil keeps racking up hits at a pace rivaled only by the pace at which he is aggregating compliments, such as the above one from teammate Pete Alonso.

“I’ll definitely take that compliment,” McNeil responded with a smile.

After tallying the fifth four-hit game of his career last night, he has a long way to go to catch up to Williams’ 33 career four-hit games. But for someone who was relatively unknown at the start of last season, that compliment (and his stats) are a real testament to just how good he’s been.

The Reds have certainly heard about him, and they showed their respect in the third inning of Tuesday night’s game. With a runner on third base and two outs, the Reds infield played very far back, seemingly with their heels on the outfield grass. Expecting McNeil to be swinging away as he almost always does, they played deep to do their best to prevent a base hit from getting through.

McNeil saw this and realized an opportunity to get the run home by dragging a bunt past the pitcher. Were it successful, the run would score and Squirrel would be standing on first base. He attempted this, and the bunt went foul, but to his surprise, the Reds infield did not adjust – they stayed back.

So, he tried again, and was successful, dragging an RBI bunt between the first and second baseman. Considering the Reds’ defensive alignment, how well starter Luis Castillo was pitching, and other factors, this was an awesome heads-up move by McNeil.

“They were playing so far back that, you know, it was there,” Squirrel said after the game. “I just needed to get a good pitch to do it on, and he actually left a fastball up, I put it in a good spot and that’s a really tough play to make.”

“That’s a free RBI if I can put it where I want it.”

McNeil ended up going 4-for-5 with a double and a run scored, but his last hit was just as important as his bunt. After J.D. Davis doubled to start the 10th inning, McNeil singled to right field to put runners on first and third. Soon after, Pete Alonso lofted a sacrifice fly to right field to score the winning run from third. After the game, McNeil said he was trying to at the very least move the runner over to third base.

“I let Pete Alonso hit the walk-off,” McNeil joked after the win. “I could have done it right there. But I let him do it.”

Now hitting .370/.457/.500 with eight doubles, one triple, and one home run on the season, McNeil has made it impossible to keep him out of the lineup every day. He has also been outstanding defensively, logging innings at both second and third base as well as plenty in left field. Squirrel is flying in the Major Leagues and is showing no signs of landing any time soon.