Forgotten Reds starter strengthens case to rejoin roster after shutout performance

Carson Spiers' horrendous outing against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night should have the Cincinnati Reds scurrying to find a replacement. The rookie hurler was dismantled by the Blue Jays' lineup and went just 4.1 innings while allowing nine runs on 13 hits. That's not only inexcusable, it's unsustainable.

Unfortunately for the Reds, their options to replace Spiers in the starting rotation are limited. Graham Ashcraft is on the 60-day IL, Brandon Williamson has yet to begin a rehab assignment, and Connor Phillips just returned from his extended hiatus in Arizona after a disastrous start to his 2024 season at Triple-A.

But there's another pitcher down on the farm who most Reds fans have probably forgotten. Connor Overton, who was part of the Reds Opening Day roster in 2023, is back from his injury and currently rehabbing at Triple-A Louisville. Is Overton a viable candidate to rejoin the Reds starting rotation?

Forgotten Reds starter Connor Overton strengthens case to rejoin roster after shutout performance

Overton missed all but three starts for the Reds in 2023. The right-hander struggled from the jump and logged just 11 innings in those three outings while being tagged with 14 earned runs. Overton posted a ghastly 11.45 ERA and 7.07 FIP in his brief major league showing last season.

An elbow strain landed Overton on the 60-day IL and it was later announced that the righty would need Tommy John surgery. Overton's 2023 campaign was over almost before it even began and he didn't return to the mound until mid-May of this year when Cincinnati sent him to the Arizona Complex League on a rehab assignment.

Since May, Overton has slowly built up his pitch count and bounced from High-A Dayton to Triple-A Louisville. Overton stepped onto the hill Tuesday night and went three innings of shutout baseball, retiring nine of the 12 batters he faced, including three punch outs. Overton has now accumulated 12 innings at Triple-A with seven strikeouts and two walks. Overton has two stellar outings sandwiched between two horrendous performances.

But after watching Spiers serve up middle-middle 91-mph fastballs on a silver platter Tuesday night, perhaps the Reds need to think outside the box. Whether Overton is ready for the type of workload that comes with being a starting pitcher is another question entirely. Only four of Overton's 12 rehab outings have gone three innings or longer, so his availability could be a concern.

While Overton may not be an immediate upgrade over Spiers, one more outing like Reds fans saw on Tuesday night will have the Cincinnati faithful clamoring for the former starter to rejoin the rotation.

More Cincinnati Reds News and Rumors