On this week's Fifth Mascot, Scott Kyser and John Fay discuss the season that was.

The Reds struggled for the most part, but there were some highlights among the lows. 

Cincinnati’s pitching remains a giant question mark heading into 2018. Can they find help internally or will it take some creative moves from the front office to look outside the organization? 

And will the Reds contend in 2018 or is another 90-loss season on the horizon?

On this week's Fifth Mascot, Scott Kyser and John Fay discuss the recent call-ups. 

Tyler Mahle makes his long-awaited debut in Cincinnati. 

Will Mahle, Louis Castillo, and Sal Romano make the Reds and their fans forget about the starting rotation woes of 2017 in 2018? 

And 2017 second overall draft pick Tyler Greene makes his professional debut on the mound. 

All this and more in this week’s episode of the Fifth Mascot with Kyser and Fay.

Scott Kyser and John Fay talk Reds Hall of Fame Nominees

Adam Dunn overrated? Underrated? Properly rated?

Homer Bailey comes up lame again and Scott Feldman is done for the year, is he done as a Red?

And interviews with Ryan Gennett and Jesse Winker.

On this week's Fifth Mascot, Scott Kyser and John Fay dwell on the positives that can be found for the Reds over the last two weeks.

Ryan Gennett. What can’t he do?!

Joey Votto continues to be one of the best hitters in baseball, but does the rest of the country, or even Reds Country, appreciate him as much as they should?

Louis Castillo continues to impress on the mound, will anyone else in the farm system make the jump and be a highlight the rest of the way?

And are Devin Mesoraco’s days in Cincinnati numbered?

All this and more in this week’s episode of the Fifth Mascot with Kyser and Fay.

We look at the Reds now that the trading deadline is in the rearview mirror.

A minor leaguer sets a record on a hitting streak.

Things were relatively quiet in Cincinnati on July 31, but will Cozart, Storen, and Feldman still be on the team when September ends?

Cingrani on the move out west.

Trial by fire? Is it time to move on from the Reds recent past and throw the kids into the mix?

All this and more in this week’s episode of the Fifth Mascot with Kyser and Fay.

Scott Kyser and John Fay take assessment of the Reds before the trading deadline

Injuries to key trade pieces may have thrown the Reds’ plans askew.

What’s the state of mind for players as the season goes south?

Hey, hey what a triple play!

Does this team’s pitching deal more than the usual or is this a baseball problem?

And what can Reds fans take away from the next 6 months to feel like there is light at the end of the tunnel come Opening Day 2018?

All this and more in this week’s episode of the Fifth Mascot with Kyser and Fay.

Catch up with the Reds after the All-Star break.

The team has all but fallen out of contention so it’s time to discuss what’s next.

Will these be the final few weeks of Zack Cozart’s tenure in Cincinnati? Will the Reds find a starting pitcher in house or will it come back via a deadline deal?

Hunter Greene takes signing talks right up to the final moments of the deadline but when will he make his way to Great American Ballpark?

And Bronson Arroyo talks his future after baseball while Cozart gets his donkey.

All this and more in this week’s episode of the Fifth Mascot with Kyser and Fay.

Despite the team continuing to struggle, there were bright spots this week in the starting rotation.

Homer Bailey showed he’s not done yet and Luis Castillo continues to impress early in his big-league career.

Will the Reds stand pat at the trading deadline or will they deal their tradeable assets with another eye towards the future? And will they ink Hunter Greene to a deal before the clock strikes midnight on the deadline?

All this and more in this week’s episode of the Fifth Mascot with Kyser and Fay.

On this week's Fifth Mascot, Scott Kyser and John Fay talked about the state of the Reds.

Even as some starting pitching help starts to arrive, the Reds are continuing to struggle.

Fay said the Reds should be patient with Homer Bailey as he eases back into things after missing so much time the last two and a half seasons, but the bigger concern is the Reds' bullpen. After all of the innings the bullpen has thrown early because of the awful starting pitching, the bullpen is struggling now.

And Brandon Finnegan's injury really hurts this team.

Fay and Kyser praised rookie starting pitcher Luis Castillo's debut, and Fay said the Reds should give young pitcher Tyler Mahle a shot at the starting rotation.

The Reds need to figure out the future of the rotation because the starting rotation is in relative disarray, and the top prospects have not done well.

Fay also talked to Scooter Gennett about his time with the Reds. Gennett said he wants to get better and perform so he can stay in Cincinnati.

The Reds have lost 11 of the last 12 games thanks to awful starting pitching, but have no fear Reds fans (or maybe a little less fear): Help is on the way.

Veteran starting pitcher Homer Bailey could return on Saturday and the team is calling up prospect Luis Castillo to make his Major League debut on Friday.

Starter Brandon Finnegan likely is not far behind Bailey.

But just getting Bailey -- the Reds' highest paid pitcher and most veteran starter -- should provide a big boost.

Bailey was 13-10 with a 3.68 ERA in 2012 and 11-12 with a 3.49 ERA in 2013 before he began to have injury issues. In 2015 and 2016, he combined to make eight starts.

But after three successful minor league rehabilitation starts, Bailey should be back to normal, long time Reds reporter John Fay said on this week's Fifth Mascot podcast.

"He's going to come in. He's going to challenge people. He's going to throw strikes," Fay said. "He's throwing hard. I don't think you can expect him to be the ace of the staff right away. But this is a guy with a great track record. I think you can expect him to be typical Home Bailey."

Fay said manager Bryan Price reports that when he has watched Bailey throw in his side bullpen sessions that Bailey looks like the same pitcher he was before the injuries.

"He's going to be more effective than the guys who they had in there previously. I'd go out on a limb on that," Fay said.

Then there is Castillo. The 24-year-old is moving from Double A Pensacola directly to the Reds. He might only make a start or two, Fay said. The Reds acquired Castillo when they traded Dan Strailly to the Marlins earlier this year.

Castillo is 4-4 with a 2.58 ERA at Pensacola. But while other rookie pitchers have struggled with control, Castillo has 81 strikeouts and only 13 walks in more than 80 innings pitched.

Fay has said the Reds need to be aiming for a .500 season. The returning starting pitchers and shakeup of the rotation should help the team improve. But at 30-41 through Wednesday's game, a .500 season might be a challenge to achieve.

"To play 10 games over .500 the rest of the way is a bit difficult," Fay said.