The Reds announced Wednesday that they’ve claimed lefty Bennett Sousa off waivers from the White Sox. Chicago had designated him for assignment on Monday when finalizing their one-year deal with Elvis Andrus. Cincinnati placed right-hander Vladimir Gutierrez, who underwent Tommy John surgery last July, on the 60-day injured list to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.
The 27-year-old Sousa made his MLB debut with the Sox last year but was knocked around for 19 runs on 25 hits and 10 walks in 25 1/3 frames — an 8.31 ERA. Ugly as that showing was, he’s regularly turned in sub-4.00 ERAs in the upper minors while displaying above-average strikeout and ground-ball rates. Command issues have plagued him at times, however, and while Sousa looked to have turned a corner with a tiny 5.3% walk rate in 2021, he walked 10.3% of his opponent in a similar sample size of Triple-A innings this past season.
Overall, Sousa has a 3.96 ERA, a 32.2% strikeout rate and 8.1% walk rate in 50 Triple-A frames, in addition to a 2.96 ERA, 35.6% strikeout rate and 13.9% walk rate in 27 1/3 innings at the Double-A level. Sousa has a pair of minor league option years remaining and averaged a solid 94.3 mph on his heater in the big leagues last year. Paired with his 11.7% swinging-strike rate (and history of missing bats in the minors) there could be improvement on the horizon for the unsightly 12.5% strikeout rate he posted in the Majors last year.
Sousa joins Reiver Sanmartin as a lefty option for manager David Bell’s bullpen. That’s the only pair of southpaw options on the 40-man roster — outside of prospect Brandon Williamson, who’ll surely continue to be utilized as a starter — but Sousa will have competition in camp in the form of non-roster invitees like Daniel Norris and Alex Young.
The Reds are getting the band back together!
Well Phil Castellini is giving reds fans a picture of where the reds are going this year…
“Where else you gonna go”, right?
#SelltheteamBob
I don’t know why my other comment from last night didn’t post, but I’m not a reds fan, but relocated to SW Ohio… being from Saint Louis, I wouldn’t normally give you any sympathy… but seeing what that man puts you guys through is awful. you deserve better.
Wow, mentioned Sanmartin without talking about how bad his stats were without context
I’m shocked
I was thinking the same thing
I’d trumpet this move too-but it’s not really a big deal.
They should have waited to sign him in March.
That would have required a parade.
March, that’s hilarious, blow that tuba…
They might as well have.
He’s going to get killed in that ballpark!
The dumpster diving is getting worse.
You must be exhausted from crying about every minor move the team makes. He’s likely ticketed for Louisville anyway so who cares
You said it. MINOR moves. They needed to make major ones, months ago.
Instead they waste the second year of the three young pitchers and the third of India and Stephenson. They’ll need to trade them all in year five due to the nutty contracts the big markets will throw at them.
But the excuse makers will poo poo all that.
Oh yes, the Reds would surely contend if only they added a couple of players.
Not.
There’s one now.
The excuse makers will be the first ones asking why they are rebuilding again in 2-3 years when they start having to trade guys again whose early careers they have wasted and know they can’t sign for whatever return they can get before they leave for the large market’s big money.
The great conductor, John Phillip Sousa “had what is called perfect pitch, because he could recognize any note played.“ Bennett Sousa – not so much.
The kind of signings hard to understand, he’s not a veteran trying to bounce back nor has a prospect tag anymore at his age.
If the cheapskate Sox let him go, you know he’s got to be awful.
Cheapskate as in 12th in MLB salary ? You do you
Smart move. Career minor league ERA of 2..78 and still has 2 minor league options. So DJ looks him over this spring. If he doesn’t impress, you run him through waivers at the end of ST. If he clears waivers you outright him to the Bats. If he gets claimed-so what. If he impresses this Catus League season you exercise 1 of those options or maybe he just makes the active roster. I don’t see the downside of this move.
This team may give up the most runs in the history of baseball. People thinking this team can win 70 games are crazy.
History of baseball? Gimme a break. Look at the starting rotations for the razz for 2003 and 2004. This starting rotation is light years ahead of those season’s staff.
Worst bullpen in the history of baseball. The starters aren’t pitching 9 innings every game which would be the only way this team doesn’t break the record.
Starters are lucky to pitch 6 anymore.
This is a nice pickup by the Reds. Sousa was great in the minors as a reliever and was used as a closer down there from time to time as well. If he can get his head on straight, he could become a late inning weapon for the Reds out of their bullpen. I see no downside to this deal at all.
19 er in 25 innings and you think this is a great pickup in a ballpark that gives up HRs like crazy.
It’s not “ugly as that season was,” it’s “AS ugly as that season was.” Grammar is not optional.
it actually is on the internet