Mike Minor should spend the remainder of 2022 in the Reds bullpen

Mike Minor is not returning to the Cincinnati Reds in 2023. The free agent to-be has appeared in 19 games for the Redlegs this season, and each performance reminds Reds Country of the front office's horrendous trade with the Kansas City Royals prior to the season.

Minor was sidelined to begin his 2022 campaign and finally toed the rubber on June 3rd. The Washington Nationals teed off on Minor and the southpaw allowed five runs on six hits including three round trippers.

David Bell has yet to name his starting pitchers for Game 2 (Friday) and Game 4 (Sunday) against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers. Is it possible that Minor's spot in the rotation will be skipped? Might the Reds skipper move the left-hander to the bullpen?

Mike Minor should spend the remainder of 2022 in the Reds bullpen.

With Mike Minor unlikely to return in 2023, it makes no sense for the Cincinnati Reds to steal meaningful innings away from some of their younger pitchers. Hunter Greene will take the hill tonight versus the Milwaukee Brewers and Graham Ashcraft will return from the IL on Saturday to oppose last year's Cy Young Award-winner, Corbin Burnes.

Connor Overton is set to return from the IL and Luis Cessa making his case for a spot in the Reds 2023 starting rotation as well. The Reds also have Chase Anderson who's pitched very well in his last three starts.

All of these circumstances should push Minor away from the starting rotation and into the Cincinnati bullpen. Minor was a reliever earlier in his career and Reiver Sanmartin is the team's only left-handed pitcher in the bullpen.

Mike Minor has been dreadful as a starter this season. The 34-year-old is carrying a career-worst 6.06 ERA and has allowed 24 home runs this season. That is tops on the team and the seventh-highest in the league. Of course every other pitcher on that list has appeared in 30 more innings.