Reds: 3 players who could be optioned when Shogo Akiyama returns

2. Reds option José De León to Triple-A Louisville.

It seems like only a matter of time before José De León is shoveled off to Triple-A Louisville. The Cincinnati Reds might as well bite the bullet now and allow the right-hander to enter the Louisville Bats’ five-man rotation. The Triple-A season begins on Tuesday.

De León had the good fortune of joining the Reds starting rotation after Michael Lorenzen and Sonny Gray were saddled with injuries to begin the 2021 season. De León started two games and then was moved to the bullpen once Gray returned from a back injury.

Since Gray’s return, De León has operated out of the Reds pen and seen action in six games. In 7.1 innings of relief, De León is carrying a 7.36 ERA and has stuck out 14. To his credit, the former Tampa Bay Rays’ prospect has not allowed a gopher ball in relief. He has, however, surrendered eight hits, six earned runs, and five walks.

De León has a good mix of pitches, and the right-hander has no problem punching out opponents. According to FanGraphs, De León owns a 39.0% strikeout-rate on the season. However, couple that with a BB/9 of 5.40 and you’ve got a recipe for disaster every time De León enters the game.

The Cincinnati Reds should certainly not give up on José De León. He’s obviously got the makings a back-of-the-rotation starter or potential middle reliever. However, the Reds need reliable arms in the bullpen at this time in the season, and De León is not one of them.