The Reds announced Monday that they’ve released left-handed reliever Daniel Norris, who’d been in camp on a minor league deal. Cincinnati also optioned outfielder Stuart Fairchild to Triple-A Louisville and reassigned righty Silvino Bracho and infielder/outfielder Alejo Lopez to minor league camp.
It’s been a tough spring for Norris, who’s appeared in seven games with the Reds but been tagged for six runs (five earned) in 6 2/3 innings of work. Opponents have collected a dozen hits against the veteran southpaw, and he’s shown some troubling command issues as well. Norris has walked seven of his 40 opponents and plunked another three.
The 29-year-old Norris was once regarded as one of the top prospects in all of baseball, even headlining the Tigers’ return for David Price (alongside Matthew Boyd) when trading him to the Blue Jays at the 2015 trade deadline. He’s shown promise at varying points — 3.55 ERA in 129 1/3 frames with the Tigers from 205-16 — but Norris has also been slowed by injuries and a frightening battle with thyroid cancer, which he thankfully overcame.
Norris split the 2021-22 seasons between the Cubs, Tigers and Brewers but turned in a sub-par 5.68 ERA in 115 2/3 innings during that time. He was far more impressive with Detroit during the shortened 2020 season, logging a 3.25 ERA with a 24.1% strikeout rate and strong 6% walk rate in 27 2/3 innings out of the bullpen.
Overall, Norris has a 4.71 ERA in 569 2/3 big league innings. He’s fanned just under a quarter of his opponents over the past three seasons — an improvement from his early-career levels — but those increased punchouts have came with an increase in walks as well. Norris walked hitters at an 8.6% clip through 2019 but has issued free passes at a 10.7% rate over the past three years. He’ll look for opportunities elsewhere, and while teams in need of a left-handed reliever could well have interest in him as a depth piece, he might have to take another minor league deal and pitch his way onto a big league roster with a strong showing in Triple-A.
As far as the Reds’ bullpen is concerned, Norris’ release could bode well for lefty Alex Young. The former D-backs and Giants hurler is also in camp on a non-roster deal, but he’s had a much stronger showing, allowing just two runs with a 9-to-2 K/BB ratio in eight innings. Either Young or waiver claim Bennett Sousa would give manager David Bell a second lefty alongside Reiver Sanmartin. Sousa is already on the 40-man roster.
cpdpoet
Van Man on the move again….
ohyeadam
He was the darling of the league for a couple years
GCB
Watch my Tigers resign him.:(
Motor City Beach Bum
If they can trade him for another player like Reese Olson at the deadline I’m all for it 😉
GCB
I wouldn’t put any stock in spring training to evaluate anyone
GCB
I wouldn’t be too exited about a minor league pitcher with an era over 4. Brewers didn’t give up a great prospect for Daniel Norris.
Motor City Beach Bum
You mean Reese Olson who was the 87th best prospect in baseball on Kiley McDaniels list (which I don’t agree with by the way). Norris ended up back with the Tigers after that so really the Brewers received…nothing. The Brewers lost that trade hard dude.
GCB
Wake me up when he’s an accomplished big leaguer as of now he’s a suspect.
Motor City Beach Bum
And still a better bet than Norris. No guarantees with prospects but it was a good trade.
GCB
You could of got $1 back for Norris and it would’ve been a good trade but like i said wake me up when Reese is a dominating pitcher in the big leagues.It would be great but i’m not holding my breath on it happening.
TroyVan
I doubt they will. They’ve got a lot of pitchers that are throwing better than him, and my gut tells me Harris doesn’t want to keep regurgitating Avila’s AAAA players.
They do have that Trey Wingenter that’s had a pretty impressive spring. He’s just one example.
Motor City Beach Bum
I was only joking about Norris. Like you say we have more interesting arms to test drive. Wingenter looks really good so far, Englert too. I was kind of surprised Diaz got sent down. Pen could be interesting this year if a few gambles pay off.
GCB
I was joking that Tigers would sign Norris since their not making any real moves to get fan base exited,You say they won’t sign player that played when Avila was there but you forget they brought back Matthew Boyd.
JoelP
Two consecutive bad years and an atrocious spring will do that to you.
GCB
StandUpDouble–Actually he hasn’t had a decent year since 2016 unless you count the 2020 season were he only pitched 27 innings
User 3595123227
Pirates will sign him as a possible trade chip at the trade deadline because they are the Pirates. Lol.
jdgoat
I was sure he was going to make the Blue Jays regret the David Price trade if they didn’t win the World Series.
Ted
Good example of why you trade prospects when you need to. Norris, Sanchez, Syndergaard, Nicolino, Hoffman were the future of the Jays in that 2012-2015 era. None of them really amounted to much long term, even Syndergaard.
GCB
That’s why you shouldn’t get exited about prospects,Their all suspects till they prove otherwise,
Murphy NFLD
Hes the type of guy that should to to Japan or Korea to revitalize his career.
GCB
If he’s not good enough to make the Reds Japan might not even want him.The Foreign teams are trying to win in their league too.He’ll be lucky if an independent minor league team signs him
positively_broad_st
Tough week for Bracho…
Libpwnr
Maybe it’s time to hang up the cleats and embark on that career as a motivational speaker.
Tiger22matt
The Reds returned the dumpster dive back to the trashcan.
This one belongs to the Reds
More to go, except they have no backup plan for some of them, like some real major league talent which should have been picked up to begin with.
Sousa for example, hits all the wrong notes.
Unclemike1525
No big surprise here..
msqboxer
A prefect example of why you make your kid throw left handed…he’s made $10MM.
Unclemike1525
True Boxer- If he was RH he would of been selling cars or whatever his next profession would be 2 years ago when the Cubs dropped him.
wifflemeister
Braves need to sign him and get him back in the south where he is from.
titanic struggle
Mercifully… Best of luck to you Daniel…