Cincinnati Reds: Who would grab the final spot in a six-man rotation?

Will the Reds go with six starting pitchers in 2021?

Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell floated a very interesting idea as the team descended upon Goodyear, Arizona on Wednesday. According to Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Reds may employ a six-man rotation during the 2021 season. So who which pitcher would grab the final spot?

It’s no wonder Trevor Bauer left, right? Last year’s Cy Young Award-winner was looking for a team that would allow him to pitch every fourth day, but the Reds may be looking to send their starters out to the mound every sixth day. It’s certainly an interesting concept, and honestly sounds like something the Tampa Bay Rays would attempt to do.

The top three spots in the Cincinnati rotation are set. We know that Luis Castillo, Sonny Gray, and Tyler Mahle will occupy the front-half of the starting rotation. But, if Bell decides to go with six starters, who will the final three pitchers be?

Wade Miley is being paid like a starter, and unless he greatly regresses during spring training, I’d expect the lefty to be in the starting rotation. Michael Lorenzen has had the inside track all offseason on the No. 5 starter job and he’s entering spring camp with his eye on the rotation, not the bullpen.

So, with one spot remaining, which Cincinnati hurler is most likely to land the gig as the team’s sixth starting pitcher? There are plenty of candidates to choose from, but only three really make any sense. It’s doubtful that Hunter Greene is in the mix, though the flamethrower will be in camp. Let’s take a look at the three most likely pitchers to occupy the No. 6 spot in the rotation.

Tejay Antone, Reds right-handed pitcher

Tejay Antone may not have to wait and see if the Reds go with six starting pitchers, as the right-hander is still in the mix if Cincinnati decides to go with the traditional five-man rotation. Last year’s rookie will be battling with Michael Lorenzen and Wade Miley over the next few weeks, trying to squeeze himself into the starting rotation.

Antone has the ability to go the distance. Last season, Antone started four of the 13 games he appeared in and was quite successful in those outings. The Texas native struck out 18 batters over 16.1 innings of work, posted a 3.86 ERA, and made it into at least the fifth inning in three of those four appearances.

I look for Tejay Antone to make a huge leap forward in 2021, but in order to do that, he’ll have to cut down on his walks. The right-hander’s walk-rate was 11.3%. Thankfully, his strikeout-rate (31.9% according to FanGraphs) was quite high as well. Antone’s WHIP of 1.019 was quite impressive, and he showed great promise during his rookie season.

For my money, Antone would be the first pitcher I’d turn to if the Cincinnati Reds were interested in trying a six-man rotation. If not, Antone will slot quite well into the team’s bullpen and could be deployed in any number of situations.

Jeff Hoffman, Reds right-handed pitcher

A move the Cincinnati front office made this offseason that got little-to-no attention was the acquisition of right-handed pitchers Jeff Hoffman and Case Williams. The Reds shipped pitcher Robert Stephenson and outfield prospect Jameson Hannah to the Colorado Rockies in exchange, and while I think Williams was the best part of that trade, there’s no need to dismiss Hoffman.

Hoffman’s struggles, much like Stephenson’s, have been well documented over the years. Like Stephenson, Hoffman never lived up to his first-round potential. The Toronto Blue Jays took Hoffman with the ninth-overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft, and the New York native has never materialized into what scouts thought he could be.

But, perhaps under Cincinnati Reds pitching coach Derek Johnson, the 28-year-old will blossom into a key part of the team’s pitching staff. While most have Jeff Hoffman ticketed for the bullpen, he’s started 38 games over his five-year career. Those five years haven’t produced much success however, as Hoffman is 8-15 in his career as a starting pitcher with a 5.80 ERA.

Could pitching in the extremely hitter-friendly atmosphere of Coors Field have contributed to Hoffman’s lack of success. Perhaps, as his home and away splits show some better numbers away from Denver’s thin air and wide-open outfield. Hoffman has a career-ERA of 7.58 while playing at Coors Field and a 4.86 ERA while pitching elsewhere.

At the end of the day, I expect the Cincinnati Reds to roll with a traditional five-man starting rotation, but these three pitchers will certainly provide depth in the bullpen if they fail to make the cut. Look for these three, along with Nick Lodolo to get stretched out this spring in an effort to give Cincinnati some depth in their starting rotation should an injury befall one of their projected starters.