Cincinnati Reds need to stabilize the starting rotation in September

After a season in which the Cincinnati Reds have started fifteen pitchers, the Reds have four starters that deserve regular turns in September.

With none of the pitchers from the original 2017 starting rotation on the active roster for the Cincinnati Reds, those who are active need the support of the manager.  In a season that has seen pitchers moved in and out of the rotation, those pitchers that have shown progress shouldn’t be looking over their shoulders.  They should be focusing on getting ready for next season.

Luis Castillo is the ace of the team.  He came up on June 23rd and leads the team’s starters in ERA.  He only has a 2-7 record, but with a WHIP of 1.13 he is definitely better than that.

Another pitcher that deserves to be left alone is Sal Romano.  He is a workhorse from the minors that took a while to get moving in the majors.  Romano has gone six or more innings in his last three starts and five or more in six straight starts.

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The true top pitching prospect for the Reds, Tyler Mahle, deserves to start every fifth day.  He has shown the ability to shutdown batters at every level of the Reds’ organization since 2014.  Two starts into his career, he has pitched 11 innings and has yet to surrender a home run.

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There is one more starting pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds that he earned his spot in the current rotation.

The Rodney Dangerfield of the Reds deserves to stay in the rotation for the rest of the season.  Tim Adleman doesn’t get no respect despite saving the Reds’ rotation for the second consecutive season in 2017.  Over two seasons Adleman has made 33 starts with an ERA of 4.83.

After that the Reds can play match-up and rest up in the rotation.

Robert Stephenson deserves some more starts, but clearly needs one or less a week.  Only lately has he looked he knew how to find the strike zone.

Once the minor playoffs are over some other pitchers may get another start or two.  Cody Reed, Jackson Stephens, and Homer Bailey will all need to be mixed in for different reasons.  Bailey needs extra rest to make sure he doesn’t injure himself again.

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Adleman, Castillo, Mahle, and Romano deserve to start every fifth game.  Those four earned their chances as the Reds go down the stretch.  The other pitchers need to take their occasional start and stay healthy for the spring.