The Cincinnati Reds looked to play 2017 with a mostly veteran rotation. Late in the off-season the Reds still listed five veterans as their projected rotation. By the time the season started two rookies, Amir Garrett, and Rookie Davis, were in the starting rotation and both spent time on the DL.
Neither of them sustained excellence throughout the season. Their struggles, combined with the injury to Brandon Finnegan, opened up opportunities for other prospects. One such was potential opening game starter, Luis Castillo.
The primary competition for that honor is the veteran Homer Bailey. Bailey made nineteen starts last year, but couldn’t answer the bell to start the year.