Reds Could Be Considering Major Change to Starting Rotation

Coming into camp, Reds pitchers Chase Burns, Rhett Lowder, and Brandon Williamson are all fighting for the fifth starter spot. Burns and Lowder both tossed two innings in Saturday's Spring Training opener against the Cleveland Guardians.

Burns tossed two scoreless innings. He did not give up a hit, but he did walk three batters.

Lowder gave up one run in his two innings of work. He struck out four.

In a conversation with Gordon Wittnemyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer, Derek Johnson brought up an interesting point that would have a big impact on the pitching staff.

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"I've kicked the tires on a six-man rotation," Johnson told Wittenmyer. "Tito and I have talked about it just briefly."

A six-man rotation would allow two of the three pitchers listed above to make the rotation, but it would allow one less spot in the bullpen. It could also mean less starts for your best pitchers like Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, and Andrew Abbott.

However, there is another side to the argument. A six-man rotation could help preserve the health of the Reds’ pitching staff over the course of a long season. By giving starters an extra day of rest between outings, the Reds could reduce wear and tear, lower the risk of injury, and keep their arms fresher deeper into the year.

Reds manager Terry Francona mentioned it can be a good thing, but their can be issues if your starters have a couple of bad games in a row because of the wear and tear on the bullpen.

"The problem with that is one hiccup and you're making roster moves because your bullpen can't handle it," Francona said.

So, how series are they about this? It doesn't sound like they'll break camp with a six-man rotation, but they certainly aren't ruling it out happening at some point this season.

"We'll see as we move through camp where it sits," Johnson said. "And if it makes sense. When you start getting into those longer stretches of the season, maybe it does."

You can read Wittenmyer's full article here with additional quotes from Francona and Johnson.

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