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Homer Bailey set for forearm surgery

Because 2014 continues to 2014.

He won't be allowing any hits again anytime soon.
He won't be allowing any hits again anytime soon.
David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

It looks like Homer Bailey will have surgery to repair the flexor mass tendon in his forearm after all.

The Cincinnati Reds moved Bailey to the 60-day DL last week in what was initially viewed as a mere combination of shutting him down for the rest of 2014 and opening up roster options for the pending September call-ups, but after normal rehab wasn't improving his situation the team decided it would be best to send him under the knife.

Flexor mass tendon surgery sounds disgusting, and it probably is.  It's the same thing that Jonathan Broxton had almost exactly one year ago, and while the initial hopes have Homer returning ready for Spring Training, Broxton didn't break Spring camp with the Reds and began the season on rehab in Pensacola.  Considering the Reds are heading into a winter that will almost assuredly include a trade of at least one starting pitcher in efforts to improve the offense, having the one starter on the roster who is signed long-term rehabbing from major surgery doesn't exactly make pulling the trade trigger any easier for GM Walt Jocketty.

So, thus officially endeth Homer's 2014 season, his first after signing his 6 year, $105 million contract extension.  He finished 9-5 with a 3.71 ERA in 145.2 innings over 23 starts.

It also means that 8 of the 11 Reds making at least $5 million in 2014 either had surgery or hit the 60-day DL in 2014, with the only exceptions being Ryan Ludwick (who missed most of 2013 due to surgery), Johnny Cueto (who missed two and a half months of last season), and Broxton (who had his surgery last year).

Being a baseball GM must give a guy headaches.