Cincinnati Reds Send Edinson Volquez To Bullpen

Despite having their largest lead of the year in the National League Central, the Cincinnati Reds are facing a very critical next two weeks in my opinion.  The reason I feel this way is because the Reds’ starting rotation looks to be in tatters as we enter September.

On Saturday, the Reds sent Edinson Volquez to the bullpen. Volquez has really struggled with his mechanics since coming back from Tommy John surgery. He has a 6.17 ERA and has walked 27 in 35 innings. The Reds thought they were getting a plus when Volquez returned, but instead they got a minus.

Volquez’s demotion is on the heels of Cincinnati sending rookie Mike Leake to the pen. Leake was a superstar the first half of the season posting a 6-1 record with a 3.53 ERA. Leake really tailed off in the second half posting a 6.91 ERA.

That is two starters to the pen leaving the Reds with only two reliable starters right now. Those starters being Bronson Arroyo and Johnny Cueto. Homer Bailey has been solid in August, going 2-0 with a 2.95 ERA, but how much faith do Reds fans have in him down the stretch? It’s still a toss up.

Travis Wood has been good, but has an ERA over four in August and it looks like teams are starting to figure him out. It looks like Aaron Harang and his plus-five ERA are going to take Volquez’s spot in the rotation.

The Reds are in first place because of a solid offense, bend-but-don’t-break starting pitching, and a good bullpen. If the Reds are going to finish things out then either Harang, Wood, or Bailey really need to step up down the stretch. And they need one of them to step up quickly.

Over the next two weeks, the Reds play at the St. Louis Cardinals and at the Colorado Rockies. If the Reds can get through those seven games in good shape, they should be set for the final three weeks when they play the Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Houston Astros.

The Reds have had a solid season so far in 2010. Now it’s up to their starting pitching to help close things out.

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