MLB NEWS

Reds announce starting rotation for NLDS

The Sports Xchange

October 02, 2012 at 8:09 pm.

Reds ace Johnny Cueto will start Game 1 of the NLDS. (Frank Victores-US PRESSWIRE)

The Cincinnati Reds announced their starting rotation for the first round of the playoffs, even though they don’t know which team they will be facing.

Johnny Cueto (19-9, 2.78 ERA) will start Game 1 of the National League Division Series against either the Giants or the wild-card survivor. He will be followed by Bronson Arroyo (12-10, 3.74) in Game 2 and Mat Latos (13-4, 3.52) in Game 3.

“We’ve been planning this for a while. It didn’t take a genius to see how we planned it,” Baker said Tuesday, according to MLB.com. “What you see is what it is right now.”

Homer Bailey, who threw a no-hitter against the Pirates on Friday, might not get a start in the NLDS, although Baker has not decided whether the Reds will use a fourth starter if one is needed.

“We’re not sure about that,” Baker said. “Generally speaking, you only use three starters in the first round. We won’t try to guess who’s not [in], but that’s a pretty good ace in the hole if you’ve got a guy getting hammered. You usually don’t let guys stick around to get hammered. It’s not like a regular-season game.”

Bailey is 13-10 with a 3.75 ERA.