When the Cincinnati Reds ended a seven-year playoff drought last season, they relied on the strength of their pitching staff. It carried the team’s struggling offense.
Through the first month of the 2021 season, the pitching staff has been much more of a mixed bag.
The Reds have a third-highest ERA (4.73) in the Majors, with a large split between the starting rotation (4.07) and the bullpen (5.57). The rotation rates in the middle of the pack and the bullpen had its notable struggles. The Reds have issued more walks than any team other than the Chicago Cubs and they rank in the top-10 in strikeouts.