Call to the pen
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How might the Reds turn their season around?

By Joseph Romano

CINCINNATI - JULY 21: Cincinnati Reds logo-fence and baseball sculptures sits outside Great American Ball Park, home of the Cincinnati Reds baseball team in Cincinnati, Ohio on July 21, 2017. (Photo By Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI - JULY 21: Cincinnati Reds logo-fence and baseball sculptures sits outside Great American Ball Park, home of the Cincinnati Reds baseball team in Cincinnati, Ohio on July 21, 2017. (Photo By Raymond Boyd/Getty Images) /
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A Roster Analysis

The Cincinnati Reds have proven to be a team that can pitch, yet will score at an inconsistent rate. Joey Votto has taken a turn for the worse after so many seasons of consistent contributions, he has settled into .216 average and an on-base percentage that is currently sitting 99 points below his career average of .425.

Votto’s season is a microcosm of the Reds overall, just as he appears to be turning around he once again stagnates. His fellow Reds have similarly futile statistics thus far. In terms of OPS, Yasiel Puig sits at .612, Jose Peraza at .560, along with Votto’s .679. These three players are regulars in the Reds lineup.

Even players that have shown some flashes of brilliance, such as Jesse Winker and rookie Nick Senzel have OPS marks below .800. This cannot continue, to have a team perform this poorly with regularity is quite staggering.

The one player that has actually carried the entire lineup is Eugenio Suarez. The slugging third baseman has slugged 13 home runs, driven in 31 RBI, and totaled an OPS of .918- well above anyone else on the team. While his production may settle closer to the  norm, the production of the rest of the lineup has to improve. It is impossible to have such poor performances from players that have routinely produced better results in their careers.

The Reds rotation has a pure ace in Luis Castillo, who dominate opponents with regularity. A move from the hectic scene in NY has provided Sonny Gray with the chance to return to his previous form and succeed.

The reason they are equipt to succeed is that they do not demand too much from the rotation, as Tanner Roark, Anthony Descalfani, and Tyler Mahle do not have to dominate to win games. The Reds have a stellar bullpen, capitalized by Raisel Iglesias, which can record outs with lefties and righties and is above all else extremely deep.

The Reds roster is built for some success, but it remains unlikely that they will challenge the Cubs due to their lack of intimidating options within the lineup.

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