Reds want starters to last longer

MINNEAPOLIS — Entering Friday night’s game at the Minnesota Twins, the Cincinnati Reds had two straight five-inning stints from their starting pitchers.

That’s is not a good thing for the bullpen.

“(Thursday) was a great example of the National League as opposed to the American League,’” Reds manager Jim Riggleman said. “Homer (Bailey) is throwing the ball good. If that was one day later and you’re in Minnesota, he’s still pitching. But in the National League, you are in a position where you might pinch-hit.

“Sometimes that forces some shorter stints than maybe you were on pace to get. Certainly, we need a few more performances like (Tyler) Mahle gave us and (Sal) Romano gave us.”

Mahle and Romano each gave the Reds six innings in their last starts. That eases the pressure on the bullpen.

The Reds activated right-hander David Hernandez from the disabled list before Friday’s game. To open a spot, utility man Phil Gosselin was optioned to triple-A Louisville.

That leaves the Reds with a four-man bench, which is easier to handle in an interleague series where the designated hitter is used.

“It kind of works both ways,’ Riggleman said. “You know you’re not going to use up bench players pinch-hitting for the pitcher’s spot. The other side of it is you have fewer pitchers, because you know they’re going to go six innings or so and there is no pinch-hitting, you don’t have to get them out so there are less pitchers.”

The Reds don’t see the Twins in spring training and haven’t played them at all since 2015.

“You look at things a little closer,” Riggleman said. “Their strengths and weaknesses, whether it’s right- and left-handed. Their base-stealers, when do they like to do things on the bases. We can get all the information. We analyze it. But it generally comes down to 60 feet, 6 inches. We’ve got to win that battle.”