Bryan Price officially named the Reds rotation to start the season. Raisel Iglesias will start on Opening Day for the Reds on April 4th. Here is the Reds rotation:
Monday, April 4th vs Phillies – Raisel Iglesias vs Jeremy Hellickson
Wednesday, April 6th vs Phillies – Brandon Finnegan vs Aaron Nola
Thursday, April 7th vs Phillies – TBA vs Charlie Morton
Friday, April 8th vs Pirates – Alfredo Simon vs TBA
Saturday, April 9th vs Pirates - Raisel Iglesias vs TBA
Sunday, April 10th vs Pirates – TBA vs TBA
– The Phillies also officially announced their rotation today for the opening series. The Pirates have yet to announce their rotation, but Francisco Liriano will be their opening day starter (the Pirates open on Sunday vs STL).
– Iglesias starting opening day is especially exciting considering his high upside. Iglesias was obviously very excited about starting opening day. Here is what he had to say (via C. Trent Rosecrans):
“First of all, I want to thank the team for having confidence in me and I want to thank the training staff, the coaching staff and the whole organization for the help they have given me over the last year,†Iglesias said through translator Tomas Vera. “I believe the news that the manager gave me today is one of the best news I’ve had in the last couple of years, because being an Opening Day starter for a pitcher is something I’m proud of, and it’s great news for me.â€Â
– Here are some cool notes on Iglesias:
Raisel Iglesias will be the first Cuban pitcher to start Opening Day for the #Reds since Dolf Luque in 1928 (and 1921)
— Joel Luckhaupt (@jluckhaupt) March 28, 2016
Iglesias's 95.1 career IP will be the fewest by a #Reds OD SP since Frank Pastore in 1980. 2nd fewest since 1914. https://t.co/J8A4mQAvRF
— Joel Luckhaupt (@jluckhaupt) March 28, 2016
Raisel Iglesias's Opening Day start will be his 19th career game, fewest by any Reds pitcher making an OD start since at least 1913.
— Joel Luckhaupt (@jluckhaupt) March 28, 2016
– Finnegan starting in the second game might come as a bit of a surprise. He was projected to be the Reds #4 starter as of last week.
– The first TBA on Wednesday could be occupied by Robert Stephenson. Price said that could be Stephenson or Tim Melville (neither of the pitchers have pitched in the big leagues). Stephenson breaking camp with the big league camp could be a serious mistake, as that would start his free agent clock. If the Reds had waited two weeks to call up Mike Leake back in 2010, he would have been a free agent after the 2016 season.
#Reds first 3 starters of the season could have a combined 20 big league. Iglesias (16), Finnegan (4), Stephenson/Melville (0)
— C. Trent Rosecrans (@ctrent) March 28, 2016
– The noticeable missing pitcher from the rotation is Anthony DeSclafani. The Reds are hoping he can start on Sunday, April 10th against the Pirates. He has an oblique strain according to C. Trent Rosecrans:
The Reds had planned on Anthony DeSclafani to make the start until he was delayed by a left oblique strain. He first noticed it in his March 18 start at Milwaukee, but didn’t inform the team until after his March 24 start against the Rangers.
The Reds still hope DeSclafani can start the season on the active roster and pitch the team’s sixth game, Sunday, April 10, against the Pirates at Great American Ball Park.
– The Reds have suffered a bunch of injuries among their starting candidates. John Lamb could be back in mid-April, while Homer Bailey could be back in May. The Reds will have to piece together a rotation until they can get a few of these guys back.
Lamb: back
Moscot: Intercostal Strain
DeSclafani: oblique
Lorenzen: elbow
Homer: Tommy John#Reds— Lance McAlister (@LanceMcAlister) March 28, 2016
I wrote all about the Reds rotation last week here on RN. Stay tuned to RN for more Reds news leading up Opening Day next Monday. We will continue our team previews of the NL Central tomorrow with the Pirates.