To start the 2018 season the Cincinnati Reds placed Rookie Davis, Anthony DeSclafani, Brandon Finnegan, David Hernandez, Michael Lorenzen, and Kevin Shackelford on the DL. Closer Raisel Iglesias also began the season on the paternity leave list. That’s half of the Reds’ pitching staff.
Four of the injured pitchers fought for spots in the starting rotation. DeSclafani and Finnegan would have been in the rotation if they were healthy. Davis and Lorenzen would have been fighting Robert Stephenson and Sal Romano for the fifth spot in the rotation. Hernandez and Shackelford had roles in the bullpen.
With that group of pitchers on the DL and Iglesias on paternity leave, Jared Hughes was the closer to start the season.