It doesn’t matter who on the Cincinnati Reds is to blame here. Wandy Peralta should never have been put in the place to fail so miserably in the first place. He’s been getting a tryout as a lefty specialist, but was left in for the entire fourth inning vs. the Chicago Cubs.
Josh Smith was called upon to deliver a spot start, despite not starting since May. He pitched three decent innings, allowing one run on three hits and a pair of walks. Then, after 66 pitches, Smith was pulled.
He wasn’t pulled for the other multi-inning reliever, Keyvius Sampson, or occasional multi-inning reliever, Ross Ohlendorf, or even former starter turned reliever, Matt Magill.