Cincinnati Reds’ pitching needs a plan going forward

The Cincinnati Reds need to pencil out how they expect to get their pitching staff through the second half of the season.

The Cincinnati Reds have struggled to put five steady pitchers in the rotation all season long.  As the Reds reach the midway point of the season, they need to figure out they are going to make it the rest of the way.  There is only one pitcher that they can really count on to be there the rest of the way.

Tim Adleman is the one pitcher in the current Reds’ rotation that can be counted on to be there in the end.  He has been the most consistent starter for the Reds over the last two seasons.  He also isn’t expensive enough for the Reds to trade him away.

Scott Feldman would be there, but he will likely be traded.  He turned his season around in June by averaging over six innings per start and getting his WHIP down.  He likely will be back in the American League by the time the season ends.

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Homer Bailey looks like a pitcher at the end of his career.  His velocity is fine, but he has lost his movement and control.  For Bailey to make his starts he rest of the season he would need to go five innings or more every time out.  Even then his contract has already done the damage to the rest of the staff.

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The young pitchers for the Cincinnati Reds face an uphill battle in staying in the rotation the rest of the way.

Luis Castillo and Sal Romano will both start over the next week for the Reds.  Castillo looks like he may be good enough to stay.  Romano’s stuff looked good enough during his Easter Sunday start, but he threw too many pitches to go deep into the game.

With Feldman and Bailey likely leaving the rotation that leaves only Adleman and Castillo there.

The Reds need to plan who else will fill the rotation down the stretch.  Brandon Finnegan and Bronson Arroyo both appear done for the year.

The plan should be to rotate rookies through the number five spot in the rotation. They already are doing that with Jackson Stephens and Romano in a way.  If Bailey can’t go or the Reds trade Feldman, then they can do it in that spot too.  The hope is that Adleman and Castillo can go enough innings.  Then the bullpen can stay intact until the rosters expend in two months.

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

The Reds should announce this too.  They should celebrate the youth movement and the possibility of the fans seeing many different youngsters in a short period.  It may not be fun to rebuild, but each new starter is like opening a gift on your birthday.