Mahle threw two perfect innings in his spring training debut Tuesday against the Brewers, striking out three.
Mahle has to have a great spring to win a rotation spot, in part because of service time considerations. But if he doesn't begin the season in the big leagues, there's a really strong possibility he'll get back up eventually. He certainly appears to be a better option than at least a few of the Reds' alternatives, namely Robert Stephenson.