Cincinnati Reds await the return of their aces while Adleman carries team

The Cincinnati Reds eagerly await the return of a trio of aces, while Tim Adleman carries the rotation.

This weekend the Cincinnati Reds plan on activating Homer Bailey from the DL.  Adleman didn’t get his first start until the trio of Bailey, Anthony DeSclafani and Brandon Finnegan all landed on the DL. In the interim Adleman has overtaken rookie Amir Garrett as the ace of the team.

In that time, Adleman has started 12 games, going 4-4.  Only Scott Feldman has a better ERA among starters for the Reds than Tim Adleman.  Bronson Arroyo and Feldman both have more total innings, but only Feldman averages more per start among Reds’ pitchers than Adleman.

Feldman may have the better WHIP, but the batting average against Adleman is the lowest among any starter.  After Adleman, Arroyo, and Feldman, only Lisalverto Bonilla averages five or more innings per game.  10 pitchers have started games for the Reds in 2017, but only four average five or more innings.

Adleman is not an exciting pitcher per se.  He only averages 7.8 strikeouts per nine innings.  Those aren’t elite numbers, but they are decent.

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By comparison Adleman only allows half that number of walks as he strikes people out.  Adleman walk 3.9 batters per nine.  That is a little high, but Adleman has managed the walks admirably.

 The Cincinnati Reds watch as their aces begin to return starting with Homer Bailey in Washington, DC.

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Bailey has been superb in his rehabilitation starts so far this season.  He has made three starts going 16 2/3 innings, allowing only 2 runs.  He struck out 17 and only walked 3.

That makes Bailey 3-0 with an ERA of 1.08 during his rehab.  He kept his WHIP at the very controllable 0.84.  He also only allowed one home run.

Brandon Finnegan is also nearly ready to return to the Reds.  He has also made three rehab starts and should only need one more before he returns.  His lone start in Louisville was a bit rough but he is slowly reaching a state of preparedness and should return this week.

And then there is DeSclafani.  He was supposed the be ready around the same time as Bailey.  Well, Bailey is back, but DeSclafani hasn’t even made his first rehab appearance.  The Reds’ rotation is in shambles for the second season and the blame goes to the trio of aces.

Next: Will Hunter Greene be the next Dwight Gooden?

In the meantime, Adleman has only not pitched at least five innings in his 11 healthy starts only once.  That same start is the only time that Adleman has allowed more than 5 earned runs in a start.  Adleman may not be the most exciting pitcher to watch, but he is the leader in the Reds’ rotation so far in 2017.