Amir Garrett

Cincinnati Reds are ready to go into 2017 with Anthony DeSclafani and Dan Straily to front rotation

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 9:27 p.m. ET

Fansided, Nick Vorholt/FanSided via Blog Red Machine

The Cincinnati Reds have turned down offers for Anthony DeSclafani and Dan Straily since the off-season started.

The big news of the winter meetings was that the Cincinnati Reds were entertaining offers on DeSclafani and Straily. That was hand in hand with the Texas Rangers making a strong play for center fielder Billy Hamilton. None of the three Reds moved, but none were expected to be on the market.

With the ultra over-priced pitching market, DeSclafani and Straily garnered more interest than Hamilton. The Reds’ duo are both under team control for multiple years and neither is yet eligible for arbitration. That makes them both highly desirable pieces, even if it is for the back end of the rotation.

In the end no team really had what it took to get either pitcher. The Texas Rangers had to offer the same players that they offered in the Hamilton negotiations when asking about the duo. Without offering Joey Gallo and a handful of lesser prospects, the Rangers were not in position to get Hamilton or one of the pitchers.

The Seattle Mariners had a similar issue. They had just acquired shortstop Jean Segura from the Arizona Diamondbacks for Taijuan Walker and Ketel Marte. That left them one solid starting pitcher short of a full rotation, but also not enough in the way of prospects to make a deal work with the Reds.

With DeSclafani and Straily in the mix the rest of the Cincinnati Reds’ staff can begin to be pieced together.

With DeSclafani and Straily at the top of the rotation, the rest of the rotation falls into place. Barring a complete breakdown, Brandon Finnegan will start another 30 games in 2017. That leaves a combination of Homer Bailey and Tim Adleman in one spot and a battle among prospects Robert Stephenson, Cody Reed, and Amir Garrett for the last spot.

With DeSclafani and Straily at the top of the rotation, the bullpen can also take shape. Their presence allows Michael Lorenzen to focus on being a late inning reliever. That also allows them to take a look at prospects like Tyrell Jenkins as a starter or a reliever.

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It is exciting to see 60% of the Reds’ rotation filled with young veterans. It is similar to set-up the Reds had when they ramped up for the playoffs the last time. Then it was the trio of Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, and Mike Leake. If this trio is anywhere close to them, the Reds are in great shape.