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Cincinnati Reds Still Need Another Experienced pitcher to Fill up the Position So As to be Competitive in the 2024 Season
No. The Cincinnati Reds don’t have too much pitching. No team can ever have too much pitching. But the Reds may find themselves in a position at the end of spring training where they’ll have to make some tough decisions because of the amount of pitching that they do have.
Cincinnati hasn’t been shy this offseason when it comes to bringing in pitchers – both starters and relievers. Since the World Series ended and free agency began they’ve signed Nick Martinez, Emilio Pagan, and widely reported over the weekend, Frankie Montas. They also brought back Buck Farmer, who had become a free agent.
If the club remains healthy this spring – and that’s a huge if because it seems as if someone always has something pop up – then there are going to be some guys who were probably expected to make the team before all of the signings took place.
There are currently 23 pitchers on the 40-man roster. A large majority of the pitchers on the 40-man roster can be optioned to the minor leagues. The only players who can’t be are Buck Farmer, Emilio Pagan, Ian Gibaut, Lucas Sims, Nick Martinez, and Frankie Montas.
Teams can only have 13 pitchers on the active roster until September rolls around. Nearly half of those spots seem locked in simply due to the fact that those guys can’t be optioned. It’s possible Cincinnati could trade one of them, injuries come into play, or someone is simply designated for assignment from that group, but let’s stick with the idea that they’re all healthy and perform well enough in the spring.
That leaves seven spots on the pitching staff. Assuming everyone is healthy, Alexis Diaz, Andrew Abbott, Graham Ashcraft, Hunter Greene, and Nick Lodolo feel like locks. That’s five of the remaining seven spots.
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That would leave two spots on the pitching staff for Alex Young, Brandon Williamson, Fernando Cruz, Sam Moll, or Tejay Antone. And that’s writing off that someone from the Carson Spiers, Casey Legumina, Christian Roa, Connor Phillips, Daniel Duarte, Levi Stoudt, or Lyon Richardson group could show up in March and blow the door off and grab a spot.
Tough decisions will likely need to be made. But that’s a good place for Cincinnati to be in. It’s likely that a few of those decisions will be made for them due to health and or performance. Even so, there are likely going to be multiple pitchers heading to Triple-A in April who at the end of September you would have felt comfortable with being on the opening day roster.
