Cincinnati Reds’ starting pitching is as bad as it has seemed thanks to injuries

The Cincinnati Reds’ starting pitching rotation has been as bad as you think it has been in 2017 thanks to numerous injuries

To date the sum total of the Cincinnati Reds’ starting pitching has been the worst in baseball.  There is little doubt about that.  With Homer Bailey, Anthony DeSclafani, Brandon Finnegan, Nick Travieso and now Amir Garrett on the DL, what else would you expect?

That doesn’t mean that the actual pitchers still standing in the Reds’ rotation are all that bad.  The rotation currently consists of Scott Feldman, Tim Adleman, Bronson Arroyo, Lisalverto Bonilla, and likely Asher Wojciechowski.  Of that group only Feldman and the recently recalled Wojciechowski have ERAs of under 5.40.

Feldman has proven himself to be the most consistent among the Reds’ starters so far this season.  It is the inconsistency that has plagued this group.  For awhile Garrett looked like a fringe All-Star, but not now with his ERA of 6.00.

The issue is that there is so much talent on the DL.  It is definitively the four most talented starting pitchers on the Reds’ roster.  Only Feldman would pitch among them if they were all healthy.

Want your voice heard? Join the Blog Red Machine team!

Write for us!

Truly, the Reds’ rotation is Feldman, a pair of number five starters and literally two replacement level players.  Wojciechowski is literally what a replacement player is, someone who gets added to the forty man roster to play because of injury or trade.  He wasn’t in the Reds’ plans to start the season.

More from Reds News

• Reds: TJ Friedl’s fast start will earn him opportunities in 2022
• Reds: 3 September surprises who’ve improved their 2022 roster hopes
• Reds: 3 players Cincinnati must find trade partners for this offseason
• Reds vs. Nationals: Pitching preview, prediction, and more
• Reds: David Bell’s new contract was the right move at the wrong time

The Cincinnati Reds need to get creative on how to keep their pitching staff intact for the rest of 2017.

The Reds claimed Jake Buchanon off of waivers from the Chicago Cubs to take Garrett’s spot in the active roster.  Buchanon is another example of a replacement level swingman.  He pitched in the majors in 2016, but had spent all of 2017 in the minors.

The obvious choices to come back and join the rotation are Cody Reed and Rookie Davis.  They both looked a bit hesitant when starting before.

Reed looked good as a multi-inning relive earlier year, though.

The other answer may be a pair of prospects in the bullpen, though.  Maybe it is time for Robert Stephenson or Michael Lorenzen to return to the rotation.  Lorenzen is in the pen because of good performance there, while Stephenson is there because of bad performances in the spring.

Next: The Reds still have the worst rotation

Whatever the Reds decide to do, they need to be loyal to the plan.  Somehow the Reds are heading into Memorial Day weekend in striking distance of the National League Central title.  If they can keep it up, the calvary will come from somewhere eventually.