Dontrelle Willis was scratched from his start for the Louisville Bats tonight, leading to speculation that the Reds are calling him up or he's involved in a trade. Bronson Arroyo has dealt with a back issue this year, so it's possible Willis could take his place in the Reds' rotation for a while.
Willis' agent Matt Sosnick told me tonight that he is aware his client did not pitch, but he has no knowledge of the Reds' short-term plans. Sosnick added:
"Based on the way that Dontrelle has pitched this year, he probably would've been in the Majors by now if not for the Reds' rotation depth. I feel strongly that he has turned the corner. He's in the best shape of his career and is throwing with the highest velocity he's ever had. I feel very confident that he will be an impact player in the Major Leagues this year and for many years to come."
Willis, of course, was an impact player for the first four seasons of his career for the Marlins. He battled anxiety and injury problems after that, bouncing around after struggling with the Tigers. The 29-year-old has a 2.63 ERA, 8.0 K/9, 2.4 BB/9, and 0.6 HR/9 in 13 starts for the Reds' Triple-A affiliate this year.
