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BenFred: Reds remind Cardinals NL Central is up for grabs as long as rotation searches for groove

Remember, these three are supposed to be the sturdy cogs while the Cardinals lean on temporary starters Daniel Ponce de Leon and John Gant as they wait for Miles Mikolas (shoulder) and Kwang Hyun Kim (back) to return from the injured list.

Instead the bullpen mileage is adding up fast before Ponce de Leon and Gant make their first starts. The bullpen has handled more innings (13) than the starters through three games.

It’s early, I get it.

Flaherty (4 1/3 innings, six earned runs allowed) started in tundra-like temperatures on Thursday, and it’s not like Reds opening-day starter Luis Castillo had any better luck attempting to make the nearly frozen baseball do what he wanted in the snow.