GOODYEAR, Arizona – Just four months ago, the Cincinnati Reds traded longtime closer Raisel Iglesias for a veteran reliever, Noé Ramirez. At the time, general manager Nick Krall said the move allowed the team to “reallocate resources” while bringing back a “solid reliever” in Ramirez.
On Saturday, after the Reds released Ramirez, that financial flexibility will now be the only part of the deal that will help the Reds in 2021.
Ramirez was out of options, so he would have had to clear waivers after he didn’t make the Opening Day roster. Instead, the Reds released him and allowed him to find a new team before the season starts.
More:'Incredible human being': The baseball world mourns the loss of Cincinnati native Mike Bell
A low-velocity pitcher with a unique delivery, Ramirez had a 4.04 ERA in 180 ⅔ innings with the Los Angeles Angels over the last four years.
He entered the spring with an inside track to making the bullpen, but Ramirez pitched in only six spring games. In his first game on March 1, he allowed four hits and two home runs. Ramirez has allowed only two earned runs and two hits in his following five appearances, but he didn’t pitch in a Cactus League game after March 20.
The Reds have 11 pitchers left in camp who are competing for a spot in the bullpen, including two pitchers in José De León and Jeff Hoffman who could also open the year in the starting rotation.
Cam Bedrosian, Cionel Pérez, Carson Fulmer, Heath Hembree and Sal Romano are also still in the mix to open the year in the bullpen.
Wade Miley back on track
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Wade Miley didn’t think he threw his best game on Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. In Miley’s final tune-up for the regular season, he still allowed just one run and struck out three hitters in four innings.
“I felt like I was under control and just trying to execute pitches,” Miley said. “I was always a changeup away, a nice pitch away to getting out of it. I didn’t put a lot of pressure on myself.”
More:Jesse Winker stands out in victory over Diamondbacks
Miley was most encouraged by his final innings. In the dugout before the start of his final inning, Miley was discussing how he wanted to be more aggressive in his last inning of the spring. He came out in the fourth and relied on his cutter and pitched another scoreless inning.
Miley had a setback in the middle of spring training with a groin injury, but he said he hasn’t felt any lingering effects since he returned.
“I was able to go out there and be free and not worry about that at all and had no restrictions, no setbacks,” Miley said. “Just getting through that part of it is a big confidence booster for me. I know I can get people out when I’m right.”
Aristides Aquino playing center field
The Reds lineup on Saturday night against the Chicago Cubs was a potential Opening Day preview with seven of the eight projected starting position players. But Aristides Aquino was in the lineup playing center field for the first time this spring.
During his MLB career, Aquino has only played in center field for four innings in one game in 2020.
Source link
