GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- With less than a week until the Reds pull up stakes on Sunday and head out of Spring Training, they are getting quite close to having a 26-man roster figured out.
Two more cuts came on Monday with outfielder Blake Dunn being optioned to Triple-A Louisville and non-roster lefty reliever Anthony Misiewicz getting reassigned to Minor League camp. That officially has the spring roster at 37 players but in reality, it's even fewer.
Three non-roster players -- catcher Will Banfield, utility infielder Garrett Hampson and catcher/third baseman P.J. Higgins -- were already told in conversations recently they would not make the team. All three were invited, however, to remain in big league camp.
Unofficially, that's 34 players left.
Then it's already known that starting pitcher Hunter Greene (right elbow) and lefty reliever Caleb Ferguson (right oblique) will open the regular season on the injured list.
That makes it 32, and now six more cuts are needed.
This is where it gets down to some really tough decisions.
"We’re talking through it every day," manager Terry Francona said. "That split-squad game [Wednesday], we really need to get through that. You have to have enough bodies to get through 18 innings.”
Where are the remaining camp battles happening?
ROTATION
Locks: Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo, Brady Singer
Competing: Rhett Lowder, Chase Burns, Brandon Williamson
All three contenders for the final spots in the rotation have had decent camps, and a second spot opened when Greene had to leave for arthroscopic surgery.
In what was termed a "deload" by the team because he worked on making his body more flexible between starts, Burns only pitched two innings but allowed no runs his last time out vs. the Giants on Friday. While no hands have been tipped, the reduced outing is enough to warrant speculation that Burns might not open in the big leagues. For sure, it's another sign that the Reds will be extra vigilant about taking care of his young arm.
Williamson has come on strong of late with nine scoreless innings pitched in his last three outings, including two starts covering seven innings. The lefty last pitched Sunday vs. the Mariners.
Lowder was impressive in his earlier outings but has had more traffic on the bases his last two starts. He walked four and gave up two runs (one earned) during his previous start Saturday vs. the Rangers.
BULLPEN
Locks: Emilio Pagán, Tony Santillan, Graham Ashcraft, Pierce Johnson, Brock Burke
Competing: Sam Moll, Connor Phillips, Zach Maxwell, Luis Mey, Kyle Nicolas, Hagen Danner
Three spots appear open but there are some complications. Nicolas, who was acquired in a March 4 trade from the Pirates, has yet to appear in Reds camp because he's with Team Italy at the World Baseball Classic. The right-hander has only gotten into one game, entering Monday. That likely greatly diminishes his chances of breaking camp with Cincinnati since he'll need to build up with more game reps. (It sort of means 31 players are unofficially remaining in camp.)
Danner has emerged as a strong contender with his superb spring, but the right-hander is a non-roster invite and he is also out of Minor League options. If he made the team, the club would have less flexibility if it needed to make roster moves.
The left-handed Moll, also out of options, has given up just two hits while all seven of his appearances have been scoreless. The three young arms -- Phillips, Maxwell and Mey -- all were inconsistent and prone to walks in their early outings but have been better their last couple of times out. Phillips' last two outings in particular, have been quite strong and he has the benefit of having impressed the team during its stretch run to the playoffs late last season.
BENCH
Lock: Jose Trevino
Competing: Will Benson, JJ Bleday, Dane Myers, Rece Hinds, Nathaniel Lowe
There are three open bench spots for five players. All four outfielders -- Benson, Bleday, Myers and Hinds, have put together excellent camps. Lowe is a non-roster player and can only play first base in the field but his left-handed power and veteran experience are attractive to the club. The choices for these spots could be the most difficult of all.