Despite having only casually followed baseball for the past fifteen years, even the most casual observer has come to the cognizant realization that starting pitchers no longer pitch as deeply into games as they once did. At that time, the practice of teams limiting the number of pitches pitched by starters and relying on relievers to burn through them became so widespread that Major League Baseball began actively seeking ways to ensure that these procedural moves did not significantly extend the duration of games beyond three hours.

During the 2011 regular season, starting pitchers appeared in major league games for a total of 29299.1 innings. However, they threw 24984 innings last season, which means that more than 4000 innings were entrusted to strategic relief maneuvers that were not designated for such purposes when Joey Votto was in his prime. In an era where managers place greater emphasis on establishing favorable matchups earlier and earlier through bullpen maneuvers, the inverse has also gained significance: staffing a bench with individuals who can a) be inserted into the lineup to thwart the opposing manager’s relief pitching strategy and b) perform a variety of positions so they can be utilized to pinch-hit earlier in games.

In a similar vein, left-handed relievers threw 3347.1 innings in the 2011 season, which was within the range of approximately 3225 to 3997 innings that began in the 2000 season. During a time when starters maintained lengthier outings than they do now, lefties, including several former LOOGies who are no longer permitted in modern baseball, could be relied upon toss a relatively consistent quantity of inside pitches. Combined with the implementation of the three-batter minimum rule, shorter starting rotations, and increased bullpen workloads, lefties are currently generating an unprecedented number of pitches in relief. Since 2018, they have surpassed 4450 IP in each full season, with the most recent instance occurring in 2023 during the regular season.

The innings pitched by starters is decreasing. As the season progresses, managers are increasingly selecting matchups with their bullpens rather than relying on “firemen” to provide multiple innings of relief. As a result of the earlier changes, bench-batsmen will be required to spend time on the field, making greater positional versatility critical. Furthermore, left-handed pitchers are being requested to log innings in relief more frequently than ever before.

This scenario refers to Nick Senzel, the penultimate pick in the 2023 draft, who will be eligible for arbitration this winter following a turbulent campaign in which he was optioned back to AAA Louisville while the Cincinnati Reds were in the middle of a playoff race. According to the algorithm at MLB Trade Rumors, he is anticipated to earn around $3 million for the 2024 season. While that amount may seem insignificant to many clubs in the league, it seems extravagant considering the Reds’ recent penchant for parsimonious spending. Following another underwhelming 0.696 OPS (85 OPS+), his escalating price tag and the influx of young talent onto the overall roster have caused some to question whether tendering him a contract and attempting to trade him is financially prudent when the alternative is to simply not tender him.

In contrast, however…

It is well known that the Reds have long relied on Senzel to serve as their primary CF. We are aware that he entered the season as a refined 3B/2B, but when the Reds were in contention for the playoffs in August and September, he was given time (and starts) in LF and RF after rejoining the major league roster. Following his reintegration into the lineup on August 24th following his exile from AAA, he amassed a 24G sample of.305/.328/.525 in 61 PA, despite appearing in just six of those games in their entirety. Throughout the season, he labored against RHP with a.497 OPS in 204 PA, but dominated LHP with a 1.008 OPS in 126 PA, the majority of which came in crucial finishing positions when David Bell was combining and matching at every significant turn.

The Reds have amassed a talented outfield combination in their youth movement, which, when healthy, will consist of TJ Friedl, Will Benson, and Jake Fraley on the majority of days. Despite the fact that all three batters approach the plate from the left, this speed/power/defense combination has the makings of something quite remarkable. Spencer Steer may also find himself in the lineup, contingent on the Reds’ roster card strategy during the winter, but his performance and positional versatility guarantee that he will make the cut and remain in the game at some point.

The Reds’ potential loss by not cutting loose Senzel has demonstrated proficiency as a mix-and-match utility player, as evidenced by his profile. He can cover a couple of innings from any position on the field and can pulverize a lefty once or twice per game. Could the Reds possibly acquire that for a lower price on the open market if they failed to tender Senzel and instead pursued it through trade or free agency? Last season, Kyle Farmer earned nearly twice that amount (albeit with subpar LHP performance), whereas the Reds were forced to trade Dauri Moreta for Kevin Newman (and pay him nearly that much) in exchange for Newman’s.813 OPS against lefties and inability to consistently cover the outfield.

The anticipation surrounding Senzel has effectively diminished. That I shall not contest. However, the fact that he was selected second overall and was expected to be the franchise’s future face and that plan fell through does not preclude him from being a valuable member of the Reds in 2024, provided he is assigned a task that is more within his purview. Given the likelihood that David Bell will continue to rely on this capacity, he could very well be the ideal candidate.