Luke Weaver should be moved to the Reds bullpen, not released

Most fans knew exactly the type of pitcher that was arriving in Cincinnati after Luke Weaver signed a one-year deal during the offseason.

The right-hander was a bridge to the young talent that was coming up through the farm system. Much like Mike Minor last season, Weaver was to be a back-of-the-rotation veteran to help mentor the young pitchers and give manager David Bell five-plus innings every fifth day.

But with the discussion of adding a starter at the trade deadline, not to mention the impending returns of Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo, what's Luke Weaver's future in Cincinnati?

Luke Weaver should be moved to the Reds bullpen, not released.

Luke Weaver has been one of the worst starting pitchers in the league this season. Despite his horrific numbers, the Cincinnati Reds seem to perform quite well when Weaver takes the hill. Cincinnati is 9-2 in Weaver's last 11 starts despite the right-hander owning a 7.88 ERA during that stretch.

Many fans have been calling for Weaver to be designated for assignment. However, the best thing for Weaver and the Reds is a move to the bullpen. One of Weaver's biggest failures this year has been facing an opponent multiple times in a game.

According to Baseball Reference, opposing teams are torching Weaver thier third time up to bat. The right-hander is surrendering a batting average against of .394 and an OPS of 1.202. Those stats would seem to suggest that Weaver's role should be reduced, and he should be moved to the bullpen.

Despite adding Oakland A's left-hander Sam Moll on Monday, the Reds still have a big need for relievers. Perhaps if a starter is added at the trade deadline, Weaver can be bumped to a relief role. At the veerey least, the bullpen should be Weaver's home once Hunter Greene returns.