MILWAUKEE -- It appears that Brandon Finnegan's 31st and final start of 2016 will come Sunday vs. the Brewers, but his assignment in that game still leaves a question of whether Homer Bailey will return before the season ends.
"There's a good chance that this would be it for him," Reds manager Bryan Price said of Finnegan, who is 9-11 with a 4.30 ERA in 30 starts and 167 innings.
Originally, the Reds were targeting roughly 30 starts and 170-175 innings for the left-hander.
Following Finnegan in the next four-game series vs. the National League Wild Card-contending Cardinals will be Tim Adleman, Robert Stephenson, Anthony DeSclafani and Dan Straily. The probable starters for the final three games of the year vs. the Cubs have not been revealed.
Bailey has been out since Aug. 28 with right biceps tenderness but has pitched well in three side bullpen sessions. Price had hoped for Bailey to get one, or possibly two, starts. The Reds haven't shut him down for the season, however.
"I'm just not ready to commit that he's in the rotation. That's all," Price said. "We haven't gotten to that point yet where we have universal confirmation that that's the way we want to go."