Cincinnati Reds to Place Homer Bailey on 15-Day Disabled List
By Adam Hughes
Aug 7, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Homer Bailey (34) releases a pitch against the Cleveland Indians in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
This is shaping up to be an unpleasant week for the Cincinnati Reds, who needed to have a great one in order to position themselves for a run at the playoffs. Not only did they drop their two games against the lowly Boston Red Sox, but now the Reds are on the verge of losing starter Homer Bailey for an extended period of time, according to C. Trent Rosencrans at Cincinnati.com:
"The Reds will place Homer Bailey on the 15-day disabled list before his next start, multiple sources have told the Enquirer."
Bailey has been part of a surprisingly strong Reds’ rotation, putting up a 9-5 record with a 3.90 ERA. As Rosencrans tells it, Bailey has a flexor mass injury that won’t require surgery but will require him to miss at least one start.
With four games against the Colorado Rockies on tap before rolling into St. Louis for three, Cincinnati should have some decent information about their fortunes before Bailey’s next starting slot roles around on August 21. If they continue to slide in the interim, it may be time to just shut him down and look to 2015.
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One interesting side note about Bailey’s DL trip is what it might mean for Cuban free agent signee Raisel Iglesias, who just secured his visa last weekend and arrived in Cincy earlier in the week. Although there has been a lot of talk about sticking Iglesias in the minors for some proverbial seasoning or relegating him to the bullpen, there is a sudden hole in the rotation that manager Bryan Price needs to fill.
Alfredo Simon’s continued second-half struggles provide further fodder for the idea that Iglesias might be dropped immediately into a big-league starting role, though whoa is the rookie hurler who receives his Major League baptism at Coors Field.
Whatever happens with Iglesias, Bailey’s injury and DL stint further ding the Reds’ dimming playoff hopes. I won’t count them out, because they have shown a tendency nibble around the edges of contention this season, but they’re definitely starting to weave.