Keenly aware of the workload increases coming for his Reds pitchers this season after a pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, pitching coach Derek Johnson is not rushing the established pitchers into spring game action.

Fifth starter contender, José De León, will pitch in Sunday’s Cactus League opener vs. Cleveland. With a six-week camp, Johnson believes every pitcher will get in their allotted innings.

“A lot of these guys' workloads are going to be doubled and tripled, and in some cases, even more simply because some of these guys didn't pitch last year,” Johnson said Friday from Goodyear, Ariz. “Taking that into consideration, there's a little bit of a slow-play feel early on. We'll be spreading out those innings, you'll be seeing a lot of different guys. Maybe some of what you'll consider our 'main guys' will probably filter in that first week or so. I think you're going to see some new faces, maybe some guys you've seen in the past and certainly some six-year free agents and guys who have come on board and [are] just trying to get a look at them right away.”

To further protect pitchers and their arms, the Reds are leaning even more heavily into technology.

“We're using what's called a Motus sleeve, which kind of gives us an indication of workload
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