Four of the five spots in next year’s Cincinnati Reds starting rotation are essentially set in stone. Barring injury, fans can expect Luis Castillo, Sonny Gray, Trevor Bauer and Anthony DeSclafani to take the hill every fifth day. But what about the fifth starter? Is there a chance the Reds could delve into the free agent market to find a veteran hurler for the No. 5 spot in the rotation?
The Reds certainly have some internal candidates to fill the role. Tyler Mahle made 25 starts last season and actually had a better season than his record (3-12) and ERA (5.