The Reds Report: March 19

It’s been a stressful day around here. Not only did we nervously sit through Kentucky’s win over Wichita State, but we were then treated to the drama of Drew Franklin vs. the NCAA. I think it’s safe to say that we could all use a distraction.

I have just what you need. How about some news from Reds spring training? Don’t worry, you can thank me later (in the comments). We’re just two weeks out from Opening Day, and as the start of the season gets closer the final shape of the roster is becoming clearer.

Let’s get to this week’s Reds Report.

1. It’s been a few seasons since Reds fans could utter the phrase, “Devin Mesoraco caught a Bronson Arroyo game.” However, that blast from the past played out in camp this week. Arroyo hasn’t pitched in a major league game since 2014, and he’s looking to get one more shot with a big league club.

So, how did it go?

Arroyo made it through 1.2 innings of work…before he was hit in the face with a ball when Mesoraco tried to throw out a runner at second. Bronson’s injuries weren’t serious, but it did bring an abrupt end to his day. Speaking of injuries to Reds starters….

2. The biggest question mark currently facing the team is who will open the season in the starting rotation. Brandon Finnegan and Scott Feldman are the only current pitchers projected as locks. Dan Straily, the team’s second best starter from last season, was traded to Miami in January. Homer Bailey will be out until at least June after undergoing a procedure on his elbow. Now, Anthony DeSclafani is also expected to be out until mid-May thanks to an elbow sprain.

That leaves three current openings in the Reds starting rotation. Earlier this week, Zach Buchanan broke down the most likely candidates to take those opportunities.

3. The news regarding DeSclafani was disappointing, but it could have been worse. He had recently been dealing with elbow soreness, and this week was diagnosed with a sprained elbow. Mark Sheldon offered a helpful summary of the news. DeSclafani will attempt to rehab the injury instead of undergoing surgery. He’s emerged as Cincinnati’s best starter over the past few seasons, and a healthy season from him would be a big boost to the Reds chances of winning some games.

4. The Reds made their first round of cuts at major league camp this week. Wick Terrell has a helpful breakdown of the decisions. The biggest name in the group was Dilson Herrera. Herrera was acquired by the Reds in the Jay Bruce trade, and there was hope he could make the major league roster as a utility/bench option. Unfortunately, he’s still battling recurring shoulder issues.

If you’re interested in the entire list of cuts, you can find them here.

5. This week, several of us at Red Reporter had the opportunity to talk with Chris Welsh of Fox Sports Ohio about the current state of the rotation. He talked openly about his assessment of a number of pitchers in the system, and what could potentially be done about preventing injuries to pitchers in the future.

You can find the episode here.

6. The World Baseball Classic has gotten lost in the shuffle of March Madness. However, if you’re looking to satisfy your baseball fix it’s been a million times more enjoyable than watching spring training games.

Last night, the US knocked off the Dominican Republic 6-3. The win sent the US to the semifinals, where they will face Japan on Tuesday night. If they can get a win in that one, they would play in the championship game on Wednesday.

Along with the win, the game also provided two of the best highlights you might see all season.

Giancarlo Stanton ends Santana’s night with fourth fastest home run in stat cast history USA 4 Dominican Republic 2 pic.twitter.com/HGP5My0vk7

– Keep On Playing (@ikeeponplaying) March 19, 2017

Adam Jones with the Catch of the Day pic.twitter.com/icjMwov3Uc

– Baseball Swagâ„¢ (@Baseballswag_) March 19, 2017