Reds bullpen, currently

[Ron Madden]

Bobby Nightengale @nightengalejr

Michael Lorenzen said the Reds showed interest in him as a free agent, but he told them he wanted to pitch on the West Coast.

"We’re living the dream right now being able to play for the hometown team, live at home and be close to family."

[Ron Madden]

Strickland signed to bolster back end of bullpen

The Reds added veteran help to the back of their bullpen when the signing of right-handed reliever Hunter Strickland to a one-year contract became official.


“I think this team could use some veteran leadership in the ‘pen or just in general,” Strickland said. “Overall for my family, it seemed like a good fit, in general.”

Strickland, 33, has a 3.11 career ERA in 342 games over eight Major League seasons with the Giants, Nationals, Mariners, Mets, Angels, Rays and Brewers. He split 2021 among three clubs and posted a 4.03 ERA in 22 appearances.

read story here: https://www.mlb.com/reds/news/hunter...deal-with-reds

[Ron Madden]

It takes a committee to close
Bell has been reticent to name a closer for the 2022 season, but from his vantage point, it’s because of the multiplicity of talent that his relief corps possesses.

Two of the names that he highlighted as candidates -- right-handers Luis Cessa and Art Warren threw scoreless frames in the seventh and eighth innings Saturday, respectively.

Cessa worked around a pair of singles to escape unscathed, giving him three scoreless innings during Cactus League play with three strikeouts. Warren looked dominant, snapping off a pair of strikeouts amidst a 1-2-3 inning. Like Cessa, he is yet to allow a run this spring, racking up five strikeouts over four innings.

Warren, who was acquired from Texas in January 2021, was electric last season when healthy, striking out 34 batters in 21 innings with a 1.29 ERA.

Also expected to see ninth-inning work early in the season are lefty Justin Wilson and righties Hunter Strickland and Tony Santillan, although the latter is a prime candidate for multi-inning outings because of his track record as a starter.

Jesse Borek, reds.com

[Ron Madden]

The Reds are looking at these six breakout candidates in the bullpen
Charlie Goldsmith, Cincinnati Enquirer

Alexis Diaz
Even though the Reds previously expected Diaz to need more development in the minor leagues since he hadn't pitched above Double-A, he's knocking on the door of making his big league debut because of his success this spring.

"(Diaz has) a lot of confidence and truly elite stuff," Bell said. "A really special arm and a very special fastball that guys don't hit. He's young. He's somewhat inexperienced. But he seems comfortable navigating this environment."

Jeff Hoffman
Hoffman now combines a fastball in the upper-90s with a “power splitter.” Hoffman used a splitter occasionally last season but made a big adjustment with it in the offseason. He started throwing it with as much velocity as he could and turned it into his No. 2 pitch. In spring training, it’s been his best strikeout pitch and helped him solidify his role in the Reds bullpen.

Dauri Moreta
Moreta’s slider has as much potential as any pitch in the Reds bullpen. It cuts across the plate and pairs well with his fastball in the mid-90s.Last season, Moreta was one of the breakout prospects in the Reds farm system

He has maintained that level of production all spring, keeping All-Star hitters like Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman off-balance with his slider.

Ryan Hendrix
Hendrix added a two-seam fastball, a curveball and a changeup during the offseason. He’s one of the only five-pitch relievers that the Reds have.

“All spring, all of the pitches have seemed to really play,” Hendrix said. “I needed something besides two pitches. When one pitch isn’t working one day, I have so much to turn to now in my back pocket

Buck Farmer
Farmer has always thrown a fastball and a changeup, which both cut down toward the plate. This offseason, he redesigned his slider during the offseason. He changed his grip and rebuilt the pitch from scratch so he could become a better strikeout pitcher.

Farmer said he had interest from other teams to sign as a non-roster invitee. He surveyed his friends in MLB during the process and kept hearing positive feedback on Reds pitching coach Derek Johnson and assistant pitching coach Eric Jagers.

Daniel Duarte
He used to throw five pitches, including a splitter and a curveball. Beginning last season, Duarte only threw his fastball, slider and changeup. The changeup is his go-to pitch when he needs to force a ground ball, and his slider helped him strike out 32 batters in 23 ⅔ minor league innings last season.

[mth123]

If Hendrix added a 2 seamer and a change-up that really work, he could end-up being a stud. I was ready to write him off after last year, but I'm intrigued by adding those pitches.

[UKFlounder]

Charlie Goldsmith:

Bell confirmed that all 11 relievers in camp made the team, including Hendrix, Diaz, Duarte and Buck Farmer.

[Kc61]

I also read that Lodolo will break camp with the Reds. That suggests 15 pitchers and 13 position players.

Actually it suggests 16 pitchers if 11 relievers are beginning the season. Maybe Lodolo is breaking camp with Reds but not being activated immediately.

In any event, it suggests to me that Reds will not replace the injured Schrock with a position player. They will be carrying a ton of pitchers initially.

[Ron Madden]

The Reds will carry an 11-man bullpen for their four-game series against Atlanta and then likely drop to 10 relievers when they add their fifth starter to the roster. Manager David Bell said the starters are likely built up for 70-90 pitches in the first turn through the rotation, so the extra arms in the bullpen will be valuable.

Daniel Duarte and Alexis Diaz the younger brother of New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz, will make their Major League debuts whenever they make their first relief appearances.

Buck Farmer, a non-roster invitee to camp, spent the last eight seasons with the Detroit Tigers. He didn't sign with the Reds until March 16, but he's been dominant in spring training games and live batting practice sessions.

In five Cactus League appearances, Buck Farmer has tossed five shutout innings with nine strikeouts and two walks.

"I don’t know if he was on the team when he got here," Bell said of Buck Farmer. "Certainly, he pitched his way onto it in a very clear way."

Moreta made his Major League debut last September and Hendrix had an up-and-down 2021 season when he struggled with walks. Hendrix had a strong camp with eight strikeouts and one walk in five scoreless innings.

"(Hendrix) always had the ability to strike guys out," Bell said. "For him to feel as good as he does about his command of all of his pitches right now, the potential is great for Ryan. He's gone through a process of learning how to trust that. He's plenty talented enough, his stuff is plenty good enough. It's reinforcing, just being able to trust that belief in yourself. That's what he's done all spring."

Bobby Nightengale, Cincinnati Enquirer

[Kc61]

Keep in mind that after May 1 rosters will go back to 26 players.

At that point, a 13 pitcher limit will be in place. This was a rule agreed upon some time ago, but was suspended due to COVID.

So after May 1, Reds will presumably have a five man rotation and eight relievers. Three fewer relievers than Opening Day.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Keep in mind that after May 1 rosters will go back to 26 players.

At that point, a 13 pitcher limit will be in place. This was a rule agreed upon some time ago, but was suspended due to COVID.

So after May 1, Reds will presumably have a five man rotation and eight relievers. Three fewer relievers than Opening Day.

We know one relief arm will be sent packing when Lodolo's announced.

The other two should be a simple balance of options, effectiveness, health, and usage.

I'd guess Duarte, Diaz, and Hendrix are goners, but Farmer could turn into a pumpkin too. Or Hoffman. Or Strickland. Moreta might also be optioned (though that would only kick the can down the road a bit, as that would leave the bullpen with few options as the season gets underway.)

The real condundrum comes when Castillo, Sims, and Minor get healthy enough to be added.

Cincinnati needs a second LH, IMO, so Sanmartin might have a role regardless. Everyone else would seem to be fair game.

[Mitri]

Keep in mind that after May 1 rosters will go back to 26 players.

At that point, a 13 pitcher limit will be in place. This was a rule agreed upon some time ago, but was suspended due to COVID.

So after May 1, Reds will presumably have a five man rotation and eight relievers. Three fewer relievers than Opening Day.

Diaz, Duarte, Moreta and Hendrix all have options. Sanmartin, Santillan and Warren do, too, though I suspect if they're healthy they'll be on the 26-man. Sims will have to be added at some point, and ideally they get one of Sanmartin or Vlad to the pen once Castillo is ready. It's a good problem to have.

[Ron Madden]

Bobby Nightengale @nightengalejr

Daniel Duarte and Alexis Diaz impressed teammates with their poise in their MLB debuts.

Diaz had electric stuff too. Travis d’Arnaud told Tyler Stephenson after he whiffed on a slider, “Yep, he’s his brother.”

[JCM11]

I thought Diaz' stuff was especially good last night. That's a game last year's pen would've given up 10+ runs in.

[JFLegal]

why are we not talking about tony santillan more? him perhaps becoming our closer is one hell of an interesting development. if he can lock down that role for the next several years, oh boy. and he looks great IMO.

[JCM11]

why are we not talking about tony santillan more? him perhaps becoming our closer is one hell of an interesting development. if he can lock down that role for the next several years, oh boy. and he looks great IMO.

I expected Santillian to be excellent out of the pen based on what he did last year and in ST. He looks completely comfortable closing out games. Seeing a guy like Diaz for the first time with some electric stuff has me decently optimistic about the pen. It's obviously a much better bunch than what we started 2021 with. Even though Moreta got shook by a Riley bomb I thought he settled down nicely and didn't completely implode.