Entering the off-season Amir Garrett faced an uphill battle to make the opening day rotation in 2017 for the Cincinnati Reds. Since then, the Reds have traded away potential opening day starter Dan Straily and have seen staff ace Homer Bailey undergo yet one more surgery. Now the number four spot in the rotation is his to lose.
With Bailey’s injury, the rotation has quickly taken on a new look. Tim Adleman went from being a dark horse to winning the last spot in the rotation to becoming the projected number three starter. Garrett and Robert Stephenson saw their spots in the back end solidify at the same time.