I disagree. For instance, the Rays have 6.77 K/9 in the pen with a 3.16 ERA. The Reds have a 7.65 K/9 with a 4.34 ERA. Walks and SLG allowed filter into the discussion as well, but the Reds pen allows a 9.49 H/9 while the Rays pen allows a 6.84 H/9. Some of that is luck based, but if the team played solid defense behind the pitchers, we'd be looking at a far different situation.
Overall, the Reds have allowed a 9.46 H/9 despite having an MLB-best 8.09 K/9. (and 2nd place isn't even close). A solid defense would be worth an extra out a game and a good defense would be worth 1.5 extra outs a game. That's just balls in play converted to outs. It doesn't even take into account fewer extra bases taken on OFs slow to get to the ball or fewer instances of pitchers working from the stretch. Extra outs tend to have a snowball effect (a key 3rd out converted by the defense can save you multiple hits that might have followed it).
With defense this bad its nearly impossible to assess the pitching, but pretty much everyone in that staff stands to improve if they were backed by a defense capable of doing its job.