Can the Reds keep it up? That’s the question, right? On May 23, Cincinnati’s MLB team was 20-28. It had gone 27-11 since, heading into Wednesday night’s game at Washington, leading the Milwaukee Brewers by one game in the National League Central.
In fact, the Reds are one of the most exciting offensive teams in baseball. They boast terrific young talent in Elly De La Cruz (21 years old), Matt McLain (23), Spencer Steer (25), Jonathan India (26) and Tyler Stephenson (26).
Oh, but the pitching. After Tuesday’s action, the Reds were 27th in MLB in ERA at 4.94. Their starting pitchers were 28th at 5.71. Only 24-63 Oakland (6.23) and 33-54 Colorado (6.55) were worse.
This is the debate: Heading into next week’s All-Star break, should Reds General Manager Nick Krall trade for a starting pitcher or two before the Aug. 1 deadline? Or should Krall stand pat and protect the organization’s strong farm system?
Paul Daugherty, the retired Cincinnati Enquirer sports columnist, cast his vote in a recent Substack post.
“The future is now,” Daugherty wrote. “In sports, the future is always now. If Tom Hanks had played a GM instead of a manager of a women’s professional ball team, he’d have said, ‘Waiting? There’s no waiting in baseball.’”
To back his case, Daugherty quoted former Reds GM Jim Bowden, who writes for The Athletic.
“(Nick Krall) is the front-runner for MLB Executive of the Year,” Bowden wrote. “(Krall should) trade for two veteran starting pitchers who can provide at least five or six quality innings per start. It’s the strategy I used with the ’95 Reds when I traded for David Wells, Mark Portugal and Dave Burba.’’
The ‘95 Reds reached the NL Championship Series where they were swept by the Braves. The next three years, the Reds went 81-81, 76-86 and 77-85. By 2003, Bowden was out of a job, having not made the playoffs again.
This year, help could arrive in house from young pitchers currently on the Injured List targeting August returns.
Nick Lodolo hasn’t pitched since May 7. The 25-year-old former first-round pick posted a 3.66 ERA in 19 starts as a rookie last season. This year, he was 2-1 with a 6.29 ERA before being sidelined with a stress reaction in his left tibia. He’s rehabbing in Arizona.
Hunter Greene hasn’t pitched since June 17. The 23-year-old flamethrower and former No. 2 overall draft pick was 2-4 with a 3.93 ERA before being sidelined with a hip problem. He’s rehabbing in Arizona.
The 25-year-old Graham Ashcraft is back from an IL stay. The right-hander owned a 3.97 ERA through August last season before running out of gas. He is 3-6 with a 6.66 ERA this season, but allowed one run in 6.2 innings his last start.
Thank heavens for Andrew Abbott. The 24-year-old left-hander and former second-round pick has been spectacular since being promoted to the big club on June 5. Through six starts, the ex-Virginia star is 4-0 with a ridiculous 1.21 ERA. He has struck out 42 batters in 37.1 innings.
Let’s repeat: Greene is 23. Abbott is 24. Lodolo and Ashcraft are both 25. There’s the promise of a stellar starting rotation for years to come.
And the Reds have several more strong young bats awaiting their call-ups to Cincinnati. Chief among them is 23-year-old Christian Encarnacion-Strand, acquired along with Steer from the Twins in last season’s Tyler Mahle trade. At Triple-A Louisville, Encarnacion-Strand is hitting .323 with 18 homers and 54 RBI.
As well, this year’s NL Central is exceptionally weak. The Brewers are good, not great. After a strong start, the Pirates have fizzled. Despite having the best run differential in the division (plus-23), the Cubs are 39-45. We don’t even recognize these last-place Cardinals.
The Reds shouldn’t turn down help. A rent-a-starter for the remainder of the 2023 campaign would be nice. At the right price. Krall shouldn’t mortgage a bright future for a grab at glory this season.
