The Reds have bigger problems than one bullpen decision, but Chase Petty may be the kind of piece they can’t afford to mismanage.
Cincinnati keeps sliding in the standings, and the injury list is growing again with Eugenio Suarez and Elly De La Cruz now added to it. Terry Francona’s update on De La Cruz’s ankle “tweak” didn’t offer much clarity, though the slugger did play Tuesday night, hit a homer, and was back in the lineup Wednesday. Even with that, there’s still reason for concern.
That reality makes the next stretch feel even more important. Nick Krall has done a strong job identifying young talent the Reds have been able to develop, with De La Cruz and Chase Burns standing out.
But the money spent around that core has not produced the kind of return the club wanted. So no matter where Cincinnati sits when Aug. 3 arrives, the focus has to shift toward the future, and that means moving on from veteran pieces without a path forward in order to create room for younger players.
Petty fits squarely into that conversation.
The 23-year-old has made a real impression in a short bullpen stint. Before Monday night’s rough outing, he had posted a 1.04 ERA across his first 8 2/3 innings as a reliever. He also picked up his first career save on June 27 against the rival Pittsburgh Pirates.
Terry Francona on putting Chase Petty in for the save:
“He’s shown really good composure and poise.” #Reds pic.twitter.com/2PlrKTYPiw
- Chatterbox Sports (@CBoxSports) June 28, 2026
That’s a nice step, but it should be viewed as part of a bigger plan rather than the destination. The Reds should be thinking about Petty as a starter, and they’d be smart to start building toward that again.
He already got two spot starts earlier this season, and those outings didn’t go well. His 5.91 ERA in those starts matched what happened last season, so the early results as a starter have been ugly.
But the bullpen has changed the conversation. Like Burns last season, Petty appears to have gained something from the move, and for a pitcher who had been fighting through struggles both in the majors and down in Louisville, that confidence matters.
Still, the long-term value is clearer in the rotation. Brady Singer won’t be part of the 2027 roster, and Nick Lodolo could also be moved at some point if Cincinnati chooses to be aggressive. Starting pitching simply carries more value than relief work, which is why the Reds need to give Petty every chance to prove he can hold down a rotation spot before settling him into a permanent bullpen future.
Sending him down now would also line up with Hunter Greene’s impending return, giving Cincinnati a way to cover the rotation even if Singer and/or others are dealt at the deadline. It would give Petty time to stretch back out, then a chance to return in September and make some starts late in the season, ideally showing the benefit of the confidence boost he’s gotten since moving into the bullpen.
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