Raisel Iglesias spent most of spring training out of game action for the Cincinnati Reds. Iglesias underwent a shoulder strengthening program that limited him to just three spring training starts.
Iglesias pitched just a total of six innings in three spring training games. He did finish the spring with a minor league outing of 74 pitches.
The body of work hardly suggests that Iglesias is ready for an extensive opening day start. The Reds will be lucky if Iglesias can pitch five complete innings or make it to 90 pitches.
Still, Iglesias is the potential ace-in-the-making for the Reds’ future. His electric stuff makes him a likelier ace than Homer Bailey. He could also eventually draw comparison to former long-time Reds’ ace Johnny Cueto.
Iglesias should benefit from facing the Philadelphia Phillies in his opening day start. The Phillies and Reds will most likely join the Milwaukee Brewers in battling for the distinction of the worst team in the National League in 2016.
The start for Iglesias is an historic one for the Reds’ franchise. It marks just the second time a Cuban-born pitcher has started opening day for the Reds, who have the distinction of being the only Major League team scheduled to open every season at home.
The only other Cuban-born pitcher to start opening day for the Reds was Dolf Luque. Iglesias won’t likely match the output of Luque that opening day in 1921. Luque threw a complete game and surrendered just two earned runs.
Iglesias won’t be asked to carry the workload that Luque had in 1921 either. Luque finished the 1921 season with 36 starts and 304 innings.
Iglesias faces a workload limitation this year due to his ongoing conversion from reliever to starter. He’ll probably throw around 160 innings this year. He’s unlikely to throw any more meaningful or energy-charged innings this year than he will on opening day.
Robb Hoff writes about the Cincinnati Reds for OutsidePitch MLB. You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
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