Reds’ Castillo, Minor Expected to Begin 2022 Season on Injured List
The injury bug has begun to hit ball clubs as the regular season looms 10 days out. And one NL club in particular took some major hits to their pitching staff on Monday.
The Cincinnati Reds are expected to be without two-fifths of their starting rotation, as starters Luis Castillo and Mike Minor are likely headed to the injured list.
As MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon reports, the Reds will more than likely open this season without either Castillo or Minor, who’re both dealing with shoulder injuries.
Shortly after arriving at spring training, reports surfaced that Castillo was experiencing some shoulder discomfort and would require additional recovery time. With the spring calendar beginning to wind down, time is running out to make his Cactus League debut.
Though club officials are confident he’s progressing well, there just isn’t enough time remaining where he can be stretched out to be ready for opening day.
With Minor, the Reds believe he’s further behind Castillo in his recovery process. In turn, manager David Bell isn’t sure how much time his left-hander will ultimately miss before being able to return.
In an off-season move that sent former reliever Amir Garrett and cash to the Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati acquired Minor as a way to help solidify its starting rotation. But with him and Castillo unavailable, there’ll be plenty of uncertainty behind Tyler Mahle.
Aside from Mahle, who’s since been named the Reds’ Opening Day starter, the organization doesn’t possess much reliable depth at the major-league level. Immediate options could include Vladimir Gutierrez, Tony Santillan, Riley O’Brien and Reiver Sanmartin.
Beyond them, it could become difficult for Bell and his staff to fill out the remainder of their rotation, especially if injuries continue to play a major factor.
Serving as Cincinnati’s ace last season, Castillo, 29, compiled 187 2/3 innings across 33 starts, posting a 3.98 ERA, 3.65 xERA, 3.75 FIP, 23.9 percent strikeout rate, 9.3 per cent walk rate and a 3.7 fWAR rating.
As for Minor, 34, he finished with 158 2/3 innings in 28 starts, registering a 5.05 ERA, 4.39 xERA, 4.29 FIP, 22.3 percent strikeout rate, 6.1 per cent walk rate and a 2.3 fWAR rating.
The Reds will open the season in Atlanta against the Braves at Truist Park, with first pitch scheduled for 7:20 pm ET.
-Thomas Hall
Twitter: @ThomasHall85