Cincinnati Reds’ Opening Day starter Scott Feldman turns 2017 into another normal season for his career

When the Cincinnati Reds signed Scott Feldman, they weren’t entirely sure which version of him they would need.

The Cincinnati Reds signed Scott Feldman with the thought that he would be competing with some of the young pitchers for a spot in the starting rotation.  Then the injuries began to mount up as Homer Bailey and Anthony DeSclafani never made it to Opening Day.  With the injuries to the starting rotation Feldman became the Opening Day starter.

That meant that the pitcher originally signed to potentially be a flexible piece for the bullpen was suddenly expected to have an average Feldman season.  Last season the long time starter only started five games.  Initially, the Reds thought this new role for Feldman would be his role with them.

In the average season for Feldman, he would have pitched 27 times, including 15 starts.  That would include about 106 innings with about 65 strikeouts.  His career ERA and winning percentage coming into this season were 4.21 and .480, respectively.

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The average season look so unusual because Feldman began his career as a reliever and spent 2016 as one once again.  A more normal season for Feldman would look more like 29 games, all starts, throwing between 150 to 180 innings.  Within that context, however, Feldman is still a sub-.500 pitcher.

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Over the first six starts of his season, Scott Feldman was having a sub-par season for the Cincinnati Reds.

Over the first six starts of the season, Feldman was only averaging 5 1/3 innings per start.  That is below the close to 6 innings per start he has averaged throughout his career.  His ERA was also hovering around 5.00.

After throwing 16 innings against the San Francisco Giants over the course of two games, Feldman’s numbers looked more his usual numbers.  Those two starts raised his average innings per start to nearly six innings and his ERA fell well below 4.00.   Those two starts returned Feldman to the part of the pitching hierarchy he lives in, consistently average and unspectacular.

Then Feldman returned to Chicago with the Reds to face the Cubs.  Feldman surrendered seven runs, five earned over 2 2/3 innings.  The bullpen didn’t allow a run after the that, but the Reds still lost 7-5 on a night with swirling winds.  His cutter fooled the Cubs, but he refused to lean on it.

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Overall, Feldman is close to Feldman.  Even with that atrocious outing in Chicago, his ERA is still a respectable 4.29.  The Reds however need the consistency to come back for Feldman to be the usual Feldman.