GOODYEAR, Ariz. – These might be considered good problems to have for the Reds. Not only must they figure out who gets the fifth spot in their already deep rotation among four highly thought of young starting pitchers, they eventually must determine what happens to the three who don't get the job.
The fifth spot is up for grabs among Chase Burns, Rhett Lowder, Brandon Williamson and Julian Aguiar. Certainly, there will be a need for starting pitcher depth at Triple-A Louisville, but could one of them be considered for a bullpen role if they don't win the starter's spot?
It's still too early to tell.
“I would say you’re getting a little ahead of us,” manager Terry Francona replied on Monday morning. “There’s going to be a lot of factors. One, how is everybody throwing? Health, days off early and then balancing the need to win here, but also knowing you’re probably going to need more starters."
Lowder (MLB Pipeline's No. 86 overall prospect, Williamson and Aguiar (Reds' 2025 No. 16 prospect) all missed the entire 2025 season with injuries, which could also factor in the outcome. Burns missed a month last August with a right flexor strain before finishing his rookie year in the bullpen.
Last season, Brady Singer was the only starter to begin and finish the season in the Reds' rotation without needing a stint on the injured list. Including openers, Cincinnati used 12 starters in 2025.
Innings limits could also come into play for all four pitchers because of their age and/or injury history.
“We always want the best team Opening Day. Everybody does,“ Francona said. “Nick [Krall, president of baseball operations] is really good about this, keeping track of, ‘Hey, come May, you've got to have somebody there [who is available].’ So we just have to balance it.”
The Reds' front four starters are currently set in Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo and Singer.
Camp notes
During live batting practice sessions facing Reds hitters, both Burns and Lowder each pitched the equivalent of two innings, and they looked strong.
During Cincinnati's first full-squad workout on Monday, Eugenio Suárez took grounders and went through drills playing third base, taking turns with regular third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes. Suárez, who will likely be more of a designated hitter/first baseman during the season, is also getting reps at third base to prepare himself for playing for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic.
Spencer Steer did his fielding work at second base along with Matt McLain. Steer will see action this spring in left field and first base as well.
Holding his first team meeting with his entire spring roster before the workout, Francona was pleased with how his speech went. He spent a few days working on it.
“I said what I wanted to and that’s important,” he said. “Sometimes you get up in front of a group that big and you walk away saying, ‘Gosh dangit, I wanted to say this.’”
Spencer, don't lose that number
When Suárez played for the Reds from 2015-21, he wore No. 7. Steer is the current owner of that number and Suárez took No. 28 instead.
“If he reached out, it would have been his. But no, he never reached out,” Steer said of his number.
On Feb. 3, when he signed his one-year, $15 million contract, Suárez said he had no intention of asking Steer for his number back.
“No. 7 is Steer’s,” Suárez said. “He’s been really good in that number the last three years and no way am I going to take that number from him.”
“That means a lot. That’s a lot of respect from a guy like that,” Steer said.