Cincinnati Reds are adding veteran SP in offseason

Cincinnati Reds look to improve on the mound

The Cincinnati Reds have a few rough seasons left. As a rebuilding team, that is normal. That is because the club is waiting for the arrival of their young studs. With that said, the Reds have had a couple nice surprises such as Luis Castillo and Eugenio Suarez. They have broken out as main contributors for this team.

The franchise still has top prospects Nick Senzel and Hunter Greene in the minors. Senzel has a good chance of his MLB debut in 2018, but Greene is still a few years away. So, this team will gain more experience as they mold into the next great Reds team. Guys like Joey Votto and Adam Duvall, who’s up for extension discussion, are notable veterans that can take young players under their wing.

Cincinnati has built from the ground up and will soon reap the rewards. But in the present, there is a glaring need. That is pitching, and some very reliable ones. The Reds ranked 29th in the league in pitching last year, so improvement needs to be made. Granted, the team has plenty of young arms. But, they need time to gain experience and adjust to the league. Cincinnati has taken advantage and added arms.

Cincinnati Reds shrewd moves

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The Cincinnati Reds have signed four veteran hurlers since December. The most notable has been Jared Hughes, who is a reliable reliever with good numbers. Also, the team has right-handers Daniel Wright, Dylan Floro, and Vance Worley. So, they are buying low on guys that could give them upside in the near future. Pitching is extremely valuable, and those players could be nice trade chips come the trade deadline.

The Reds are making small moves that could end up paying off soon. The young arms will have guys to look up to and learn from. That is very important at this stage of their development.

Ultimately, it could speed up the process as well. Cincinnati won’t be relevant for another two years at least, so acquiring veteran talent to eat innings is the smart approach.

Their latest signing, Vance Worley, has floated to several teams. He is a guy that the Reds could scoop up for no more than the league minimum. His best season in the majors was in 2014, where he tossed a 2.85 ERA in 110.2 innings with the Pirates. This past season was rough for him, due to his 6.91 ERA in 71.2 innings of work.

Next: Reds rotation decisions are easy for 2018

At 30 years old, there is still some gas in the tank. The righty hasn’t even thrown 1,000 innings in his professional career. He doesn’t strike many guys out so he will have to hone his control and pitch selection. Cincinnati can cut the bait whenever they want. He is a free agent after 2018, but if he pitches well in the first half the Reds will ship him out.