C. Trent Rosecrans

crosecrans@enquirer.com

SAN DIEGO -- If the Reds do trade a starting pitcher this offseason, left-hander Tony Cingrani would be — at this point — first in line to earn a spot in the Reds' 2015 rotation.

Cingrani started last season as the team's No. 4 starter, but struggled with inconsistency and injuries.

"I think if Tony stays healthy, he'll have an outstanding big league career, and I think he would be first in line if we had an opening in our rotation," Price said.

Moreover, Price said he's confident Cingrani can be an effective big-league starter throwing his fastball a greater percentage of the time than almost any other starter in baseball. Last year he threw a fastball 74.3 percent of the time, according to FanGraphs.com, down from 81.5 percent in 2013.

"Can he be primarily a fastball pitcher as a starter? I believe he can," Price said. "I don't think we should try to convince him that he can't. But he also has to be given the opportunity to, No. 1, pitch as a starter regularly, or No. 2, perform or not perform as a starter. Going into next year if we are able to bring this rotation back intact, he would be probably a starting ‑‑ a 6th starter, as you had mentioned, but definitely a guy that could help us."

He can also serve as a reliever, Price said.

"I think Tony can do a lot of things — and the key, of course, is being healthy enough to be on the field and pitching regularly with his regular stuff," Price said. "Game 2 of the season against the Cardinals, it didn't look like there was anybody on the earth that would be able to hit him. And he was throwing primarily fastball, he's got that special fastball, but that fastball is 92 to 95, 93, 97 miles an hour, with power, and completely different gear. And when his velocity isn't there, he relies on his off‑speed stuff, he became more vulnerable, and that was a challenge for his last year. We're trying to define where he's best suited."