Cincinnati Reds’ Homer Bailey returns but doesn’t look ready

The Cincinnati Reds patiently waited ten months for Homer Bailey to return from injury, but he still doesn’t look right.

Homer Bailey didn’t make any big league appearances for the Cincinnati Reds from the end of August last season until June 24 this year.  In those ten months Bailey twice was supposedly ready to come back before a set back occurred.  Now Bailey has a clean bill of health, but he doesn’t look right.

Overall, Bailey’s pitch velocity hasn’t gone done considerably.  He doesn’t throw as hard as he used, but it is still close to how fast he used to pitch the last time he was healthy.  Of course, the last time he was healthy, he didn’t get hit this hard.

He has given up 14 earned runs over 14 outs.  That is good for an ERA of 27.00.  That is not good.

Bailey needs to get right quickly.   His third start is the Fourth of July in Colorado.  Heading into this start he is averaging 66 pitches per start, but only 2 1/3 innings.

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His first start back he didn’t allow any home runs, but he couldn’t find the strike zone.  His second time out, he had slightly better control, but allowed three home runs.  In the thin air of Coors Field either of these issues could prove disastrous.

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The Cincinnati Reds and Homer Bailey are coming to a crossroads regarding where they will go with his career.

Bailey is signed at over $20-million per year for the next two years plus a $5-million buyout if they decline his $25-million contract before the 2020 season.  The Reds are not likely to get $20-million dollars of pitching out of Bailey, but they need to get as much as they can.

There are some options available to him.  He could start every 11th game and pitch one designated inning in between.  This would keep him fresh next year, while not making him warm up fast in the bullpen.

The second option would be to make his a long reliever next season, but not have him enter the game in the middle of an inning.  He could pitch as frequently or infrequently as his arm allowed.  If the Reds think that he could maintain it, it could make the most sense.

Next: Who will be in the rotation at the end of the season?

He could even close as was discussed before last season, but he hasn’t shown the stuff for that.  That is the crux of the situation.  He doesn’t just need to be healthy, but also effective for the Reds in 2018.