Bailey, who hasn’t pitched a full season since 2013 and hasn’t contributed much of anything since signing a six-year, $105 million contract before the 2014 season, won’t start throwing for four to six weeks and will begin the season on the disabled list.
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According to the Reds, Bailey felt discomfort when he increased his throwing workload while preparing for spring training, which begins next week.
Amazingly, just a week ago Bailey told the Cincinnati Enquirer he would be ready for spring training.
Then came the unexpected pain and the unexpected bad news.
Exams indicated Bailey’s ulnar collateral ligament and flexor mass are healthy. However, small bone spurs were discovered and the decision was made to remove them. Bailey already has had Tommy John surgery (2015) to fix his UCL and surgery to repair his flexor mass (2014).
Since his 2014 flexor mass surgery, and after he pitched two no-hitters, Bailey has made eight starts and compiled a 6.29 earned-run average. He made six starts last season before his elbow began barking again and Tommy John surgery was performed.
Credit: David Jablonski
Credit: David Jablonski
Prior to the surgeries, Bailey pitched more than 200 innings in 2012 and 2013 and was 33-27 with a 3.61 ERA.
His six-year contract, all guaranteed, is backloaded so he is to make $19 million this year, $21 million next year and $23 million in 2019 — even if his elbow eventually disintegrates or his arm falls off.
After trading Straily, a 14-game winner for a last place team last season, the Reds were couunting upon the healthy return of Bailey to anchor a rotation that included him, Anthony DeSclafani, Brandon Finnegan and whomever makes the rotation during spring training.
After trading Straily, who made only $533,000 last year, the Reds signed journeyman pitcher Scott Feldman, a 34-year-old right-hander who pitched mostly in relief last year, to a one-year, $2.3 million contract. He started 37 games for the Houston Astros in 2014-15 and was 13-18. The Reds list him as a contender for the rotation.
The other contenders are Robert Stephenson, Cody Reed, Tim Adleman, Amir Garrett and Austin Brice. And hold your breath on this one — with the loss of Bailey, even Bronson Arroyo, signed recently to a minor-league deal, has to be in the mix.
Arroyo never missed a start during his eight years with the Reds from 2006 through 2013. The Reds did not sign him after 2013 and the Arizona Diamondbacks signed him as a free agent.
He pitched 14 games for the Diamondbacks in 2014 before shoulder and arm problems struck and he did not pitch in 2015 or 2016.
Bailey, a long, tall Texan who loves calf roping, obviously needs more horseshoes than the eight worn by the two roping horses he owns to turn his luck to the plus side.
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