Homer Bailey will start NLDS Game 3 for Reds

Reds right-hander Homer Bailey is the announced probable starter for Game 3 of the NLDS. (AP)

Homer Bailey's NLDS start has been moved up a game from Wednesday's Game 4 to Tuesday's Game 3. Mat Latos was scheduled to start Game 3, but he came in for an injured Johnny Cueto in Game 1 on Saturday. The Reds had still held out hope that Cueto could go on Tuesday.

"Homer is our Game 3 option," Reds manager Dusty Baker said in a pregame news conference. "You can't take a chance with Johnny, and we have to see exactly (how he is), we can't have him go out there again and have something else happen to him and come up short again. When he goes back out there we will make sure to the best of your knowledge that he's OK."

The Reds sent both Cueto and Bailey back to Cincinnati on Sunday in order to rest. The team is scheduled to fly home following Sunday's game, which would put them home early Monday morning.

Cueto left Game 1 of the NLDS with back spasms after throwing eight pitches.

Tuesday would be Bailey's normal day to pitch after starting the final game of the regular season last week. Bailey threw four scoreless innings against the Cardinals in his final start of the season. He threw a no-hitter in his next-to-last start of the season.

The team hasn't decided who will pitch Game 4. Latos said he was available, if needed.

"If they need me to, Game 4 it is a possibility," Latos said in a pregame news conference. "I threw only four innings and 60, 70 pitches, so it sucks that Johnny went down. I'm young still, so it's not like I'm Bronson (Arroyo) where I have some miles on me. I'm able to I feel real good, so if need be and I need to go Game 4 I will go Game 4."

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