Brandon Finnegan was a bright spot for the Cincinnati Reds in their shutout loss to Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers Monday night.
Finnegan pitched an eight-inning complete game, which marked the first time all season that a Reds’ starting pitcher has lasted a full eight innings in any of the team’s 45 games this year.
Finnegan surrendered just one run to the Dodgers to lower his ERA to 3.97 in 10 starts and 56.2 innings on the year. The lefty power pitcher is holding opponents to a .234 batting average but his WHIP is a high 1.36.
Finnegan walked four in his 107-pitch effort Monday night, including the leadoff batter in the sixth inning who eventually accounted for the only run scored in the game.
Finnegan walked four batters in the game. His walk count is up to 27 on the season. His walk rate remains high at about one per two innings of work.
Despite the loss, the outing by Finnegan help elevate his cause to remain in the Reds’ rotation now and in the future.
The Reds are 15-30 in a 2016 season that is a total loss in the standings but a proving ground for a 2017 team. The Reds will eventually have a powerhouse rotation as soon as 2017 once Homer Bailey, Raisel Iglesias, Cody Reed and Robert Stephenson are all in place together.
The final rotation spot to start the 2017 season could come down to Finnegan, Anthony DeSclafani, Michael Lorenzen and Amir Garrett with Garrett ultimately projected to be in the rotation at some point in 2017.
Lorenzen looks more and more destined for the Reds’ bullpen in the absence of a serviceable closer. Finnegan and DeSclafani are the most likely rotation candidates to start 2017 unless one is traded before then.
If Finnegan continues to improve his case as a starting pitcher, he has the advantage over DeSclafani of throwing left-handed.
Robb Hoff writes about the Cincinnati Reds for OutsidePitch MOB. You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
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