There was once a time where saying the Cincinnati Reds are going to have Chris Paddack starting for them tonight would have inspired a big pile of confidence. Back before the 2019 season, for instance, he was rated as high as the #34 overall prospect in the sport by MLB Pipeline, was a consensus Top 100 prospect across all evaluating platforms, and he threw 140.2 IP of almost ~3 bWAR ball as a rookie for the San Diego Padres later that year.
My kids are growing like weeds. My right ankle kills me
most days when I wake up and try to get out of bed.
2019 was a lifetime ago, it seems.
Paddack turned 30 this year, and is now about four full years removed from Tommy John surgery. His average fastball velocity is down 2.3 mph from his post-TJ peak in 2023, and he’s bounced around through Minnesota, Detroit, and Miami since then. The results, shall we say, have been less than enjoyable.
Paddack was cut loose by the Marlins earlier this year after 7 appearances in which he allowed 6 homers and 26 earned runs in just 30.2 IP of work. That, though, made him a no-strings-attached addition for the Reds earlier in the week when they realized they were smack dab in the middle of a starting pitching crisis, and Paddack will get the start for Cincinnati on Saturday up in Cleveland against the Guardians.
Rhett Lowder is out with shoulder issues. Brandon Williamson is, too. Hunter Greene is still sidelined with his elbow recovery, and Chase Petty picked the worst possible time to bite off a bad blister. So, it’s Paddack time for the Reds, who are obviously hoping they can catch lightning in a bottle with him and at least help tread water until reinforcements arrive.
We shall see tonight beginning at 6:10 PM ET.
Here’s how the Reds will line up to start behind Paddack on Saturday, with a lineup stacked mostly with righties as they are set to face lefty starter Joey Cantillo:
