Heading into the 2019 season, it appeared Tyler Mahle may be the odd man out of the Cincinnati Reds starting rotation. Luis Castillo and Anthony DeSclafani, holdovers from the 2018 season, had nailed down spots, while the offseason acquisitions of Sonny Gray, Alex Wood and Tanner Roark made Mahle’s roster spot tenuous at best.
Unfortunately for Wood, and the Reds, a back injury would sideline the left-hander for the better part of the season. Wood only started seven games in 2019, allowing Mahle to lay claim to the final spot in the starting rotation.