This non-roster invitee should make the Reds Opening Day roster over Hunter Strickland

Look, whether you or I think that Hunter Strickland is undeserving of a spot on the Cincinnati Reds Opening Day roster is irrelevant, right?

It's not our choice, and no matter how much Reds fans beg and plead with the front office and manager David Bell, there's this inevitable feeling that Strickland will be part of the Reds Opening Day roster.

But maybe, just maybe, another non-roster invitee will sway the decision-making process. Derek Law has had an outstanding spring and has made his case to be part of the Cincinnati bullpen.

Derek Law deserves a spot on the Reds Opening Day roster over Hunter Strickland.

Forget the idea that Hunter Strickland was absolutely awful during his 2022 season with the Cincinnati Reds. Yes, I'll give him credit for being durable. Only Strickland and Kyle Farmer were among the Reds regular who did not appear on the Injured List at any time last season.

But what's the use in being available if you're not ready. Strickland went 3-3 in 2022 and posted a 4.91 ERA with 60 strikeouts in 62.1 innings of work. On the surface, those numbers are not atrocious, but Strickland was brought in to be the team's closer and in save situations the right-hander allowed four his eight home runs and put up an ERA of 8.49.

Derek Law, however, has done more than enough to garner a spot on the Reds roster. The right-hander has been a strikeout-machine this spring with 10 punch outs in just over six innings of work. Law has a 1.42 ERA and has allowed just one walk

Whether it's Derek Law, Chase Anderson, or Alex Young, the Cincinnati Reds have so many more arms that would bring more value to the bullpen than Hunter Strickland. Hopefully the Reds make the right call and keep Strickland off the Opening Day roster, but I'm not holding my breath.