3 Reds pitchers will begin the 2023 season on the 15-day Injured List

The Cincinnati Reds will begin the season with several of their top pitchers on the Injured List. It's beginning to sound like deja vu all over again.

Last season, pitchers Mike Minor, Luis Castillo, Tejay Antone, and Justin Dunn, began the year on the IL. Two of those four players will begin the 2023 season on the IL as well while the other two are no longer on the team.

But Antone and Dunn are not the only hurler who'll miss Opening Day. The Reds have three other relievers who will begin the season on rehab assignments at Triple-A Louisville.

3 Reds pitchers will begin the 2023 season on the 15-day IL.

Tony Santillan has yet to throw a pitch in Cactus League play this summer, but the right-hander is expected to return relatively soon after the start of the season. Santillan ended his sophomore season prematurely after suffering a back injury.

That injury has limited Santillan this spring, and he'll need some more time at Triple-A Louisville in order get himself major league-ready for the 2023 season.

Joining him on the 15-day IL will be reliever Lucas Sims. Evert since the abbreviated 2020 season, the right-hander has struggled to stay on the field. Sims posted a 2.45 ERA in 2020, but has appeared in just 53 games over the last two seasons combine and owns an ERA of 5.03 during that span.

Sims underwent back surgery last year and was placed on the 60-day IL. After appearing in six games this spring, Sims has been sidelined with back spasms that are reportedly unrelated to last year's surgery.

Finally, the Redlegs will be without free agent signee Luke Weaver. Thought to be in competition for a spot in the Cincinnati rotation, Weaver will begin his first season in Cincinnati on the IL while he rehabs from a forearm injury.