PITTSBURGH –– When the Cincinnati Reds started the 2021 season, they had eight relievers in the bullpen in completely different points of their career.
On Opening Day, the Reds had two returning relievers in the bullpen, a waiver claim, a player they acquired in a Minor League deal, a 34-year-old veteran, a non-roster invitee to spring training, a prospect and a pitcher the Reds had previously designated for assignment.
Six months later, the two returners are the only pitchers left in the bullpen as the Reds close the 2021 season.
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“It’s been a season of opportunity for our bullpen because there were points it wasn’t really clear,” Reds manager David Bell said. “Guys continuously stepped up at different points of the year. Given where we were it was a major concern, I think it turned into a strength with the way guys stepped up.”
In April, Lucas Sims and Amir Garrett were the only pitchers with any significant experience pitching out of the Reds bullpen. Since then, their roles and the entire bullpen changed.
In 2019, the Reds had five pitchers throw at least 48 innings out of the bullpen. In 2021, unless Garrett and Sims pitch more often than they usually do in the final series of the year, the Reds won’t have a single pitcher throw more than 48 innings.
“Some of the guys have been in a position where they had an opportunity just because of our bullpen and the turnover,” Bell said. “That’s created an opportunity for guys.”
Tejay Antone went on the injured list with an elbow injury, but the other five relievers on the Reds Opening Day roster are either in Triple-A or no longer in the organization.
During the second half of the season, Michael Lorenzen came off the injured list, Tony Santillan and Art Warren emerged as quality relievers and the Reds traded for Luis Cessa, Mychal Givens and Justin Wilson. In September, the back of the Reds bullpen turned into a strength.
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Givens and Lorenzen became two of the best closers that the Reds have had this season, and Cessa and Santillan haven’t allowed a run in 17 of their last 20 total appearances.
Even though two of the Reds most important pending free agents are relievers, Cincinnati still has bullpen depth entering 2022. This offseason, Lorenzen and Givens are both set to be free agents. If the Reds don’t sign a replacement closer or re-sign one of those two players, they’ll rely on the pitchers that have developed in the bullpen over the last two months.
Sims has been one of the best strikeout pitchers in MLB during the second half of the season. He’d likely pitch in the most high-leverage situations if the Reds go with the group of relievers they currently have under contract for 2022.
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Cessa and Santillan both have an ERA below 2.15 out of the Reds bullpen, and Art Warren has a 1.42 ERA over 24 innings with the Reds this season.
In addition to those four pitchers, prospect Dauri Moreta had a 0.68 ERA in Triple-A this season and has carried that momentum over to the Reds. Over the last week, Moreta made his MLB debut and has pitched three scoreless innings.
Garrett is under contract for 2021, and Wilson has a $2.3 million player option. They both haven’t pitched in high-leverage situations over the second half of the season, but they’re also both left-handed options out of the bullpen.
Heading into 2021, Antone was the only rising young pitcher in the Reds bullpen. Then this season, Cessa, Santillan, Warren and Moreta emerged alongside Sims as the core of the bullpen entering the offseason.
“There are guys that I definitely think will look back at this year and it’ll be a key point where they made the most of an opportunity,” Bell said. “They created a spot for themselves for next year and beyond.”
ROSTER MOVE: The Reds activated starting pitcher Luis Castillo from the Family Emergency List to make his last start of the season. In a corresponding roster move, the Reds optioned starting pitcher Riley O’Brien.
O’Brien made his MLB debut on Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox, and he allowed two runs over 1 ⅓ innings. The Reds view him as a potential starter or reliever heading into next season, and O’Brien has been on the Reds 40-man roster all year.
STAT WATCH: The greatest remaining statistical competition on the Reds this year is right fielder Nick Castellanos and first baseman Joey Votto battling for the team lead in RBI.
Entering Friday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Castellanos has 97 RBI and Votto has 96. Castellanos has a chance to top his career-high of 101 RBI, and Votto could top 100 RBI for the fourth time in his career.
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