Cincinnati Reds: Projecting the 2022 starting rotation

Who’s going to be in the Reds starting rotation in 2022?

I know, I know, we haven’t even began the 2021 season yet. But, it’s always fun to predict what will happen in the future, right? So bear with me as we take a peek into 2022 and see if we can figure out how the Cincinnati Reds starting rotation may shake out heading into next season.

After losing Trevor Bauer and Anthony DeSclafani to free agency this past winter, the Reds starting rotation is undergoing a transformation this spring. There were even rumors that Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray were on the trade block. If the Reds are out of contention by July, expect those rumors to return.

We’ve also seen several young hurlers so far this spring who look the part of future starting pitchers. Tejay Antone impressed in his first action this spring, Nick Lodolo had a solid inning of work against the Los Angeles Angels, and Hunter Greene was dealing fastballs that eclipsed 100-MPH on multiple occasions. The future looks bright for the starting rotation in Cincinnati.

With brilliant baseball minds like pitching coach Derek Johnson, assistant pitching coach Eric Jagers, and director of pitching Kyle Boddy leading the charge, it’s become obvious that Cincinnati’s braintrust has zeroed-in on making pitching the franchise’s primary focus in both the minor leagues and at the major league level.

So, who’ll be toeing the rubber every fifth for the Cincinnati Reds heading into the 2022 season? Will Luis Castillo still be on the roster? Will some of the young talent in the farm system be up to the task? Might Sonny Gray be on the move later this summer? Let’s see if we can select the five starters who’ll open next season in the Queen City.