Homer Bailey has the weight of the world on his shoulders for the Cincinnati Reds. Or more accurately the weight of the world on his elbow.
The soon-to-be-30-year-old Bailey has not pitched for the Reds in a year since suffering an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery.
But Bailey’s return to the Reds appears to be on the horizon.
On the same day the Reds were thoroughly embarrassed and slaughtered in a 16-0 no-hit debacle against the Chicago Cubs and Jake Arrieta, Bailey took the mound for the Reds’ Triple-A team in Louisville.
Bailey threw 67 pitches in his minor league rehab debut. He struck out six of the 16 batters he faced in 3.2 innings. He issued two walks and gave up three hits, including a solo home run.
The Reds need Bailey to return to the form he showed that earned him a six-year, $105-million contract in 2014. That form included pitching two no-hitters for the Reds.
Bailey will make $18 million whether he pitches in a Reds’ game or not this year. His return to the Reds might be worth more than that to a team that is trying to recover from a 98-loss season last year without him.
Bailey appears to be on track to return to the Reds right about one year after having the Tommy John surgery on May 8 last year. The Reds don’t need to rush Bailey back. His return would, however, provide hope for the Reds’ short-term and longer term future.
The Reds’ rise in the NL Central from 2010 through 2013 has vanished into the distant past. The Reds now look more like division doormats after two straight losing seasons. Bailey is not the only one who needs to play well to revive the Reds.
But with $86 million committed to Bailey over the next four years, the Reds are banking on Bailey to be one big difference maker.
Robb Hoff writes about the Cincinnati Reds for OutsidePitch MLB. You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
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