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Reds Outright Ben Lively

By Leo Morgenstern | October 18, 2023 at 5:50pm CDT

Right-handed pitcher Ben Lively has cleared waivers and been sent outright to Triple-A, the Reds announced on Wednesday. He does not have the necessary service time to reject the outright assignment immediately, but he will have the opportunity to elect minor league free agency following the conclusion of the World Series.

Lively is the sixth player the Reds have outrighted this offseason, following Vladimir Gutierrez, Alan Busenitz, Justin Dunn, Brett Kennedy, and Connor Overton. However, he is the most noteworthy of the outright decisions, having played a significant role for the major league club in 2023. The 31-year-old ranked sixth on the team with 88 2/3 innings pitched. Appearing in his first MLB season since 2019, Lively pitched in 19 games (12 starts), posting a poor 5.38 ERA but a more respectable 4.33 SIERA.

After three seasons in the KBO, Lively returned to MLB in 2022 on a minor-league deal with the Reds – the team that first drafted him back in 2014. He spent the season at Triple-A and re-upped with Cincinnati the following winter. Finally, in mid-May 2023, more than four years since he last threw a pitch in the majors, Lively had his contract selected by the big league team. Unfortunately, a couple of stints on the injured list interrupted his comeback season, and as evidenced by his inflated ERA, the righty never quite found his groove.

While his 2023 stat line isn’t overly impressive, Lively proved he can still eat innings at the major league level. On top of that, a few of his underlying metrics (3.16 K/BB, 4.42 xFIP) suggest he might be capable of a little more. Thus, he should have some suitors this winter, although he may have to settle for another minor league deal.

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Cincinnati Reds Transactions Ben Lively

AL East Notes: Ryu, Wells, Yankees
Main
Nationals Outright Blake Rutherford, Michael Chavis
View Comments (16)
Post a Comment

16 Comments

  1. longines64

    2 years ago

    Not Again – Ben?

    1
    Reply
  2. Rick Wilkins

    2 years ago

    This is definitely gonna affect his Livelihood.

    4
    Reply
  3. Larry Brown's crank

    2 years ago

    I saw him pitch a lot this year. he’s got a……..arm

    5
    Reply
    • This one belongs to the Reds

      2 years ago

      He has good movement but the arm is not…Lively.

      It’s all about the radar gun now.

      2
      Reply
  4. Cincyfan85

    2 years ago

    He’s a good depth guy to stash in AAA if an injury pops up. Certainly not a guy you want as your #3 pitcher (2023).

    6
    Reply
  5. acoss13

    2 years ago

    Seems like a Lively guy from his picture on baseball reference.

    Reply
  6. cguy

    2 years ago

    If healthy, Reds have Greene, Lodolo, Abbott, Ashcraft, and Williamson in their rotation. Phillips, Richardson, Spiers, Stoudt,& Roa in Bats rotation without adding anyone.. So Lively was probably AAA sp depth -before Reds add a sp- or 2.

    1
    Reply
    • runningwithnailclippers

      2 years ago

      Let us also keep the fingers crossed that they go out and add a solid starter or two plus some more bullpen arms. Could be a good rotation.

      1
      Reply
  7. HBan22

    2 years ago

    He actually was pretty decent this past season, if you disregard his start where he was torched for 13 runs in 4 innings versus the Cubs. His ERA was 3.76 before that start, with solid peripherals. Could be a decent #5 starter next year for a pitching needy team.

    1
    Reply
    • Rick Wilkins

      2 years ago

      Lol, the Reds are a pitching needy team and he couldn’t keep his 40-man spot. 5.38 ERA. 5.08 for career. He gave up 20 HR in 88 innings. He was a 15 percent below average pitcher this year. You can have him be the 5 on your team, but keep him away from mine.

      1
      Reply
  8. tstats

    2 years ago

    Does MILB free agency prevent you from signing a big league deal

    Reply
    • pohle

      2 years ago

      no- mil’s blake perkins and tb’s harold ramirez (first with mia) were minor league FA’s who recieved major league deals, or at least 40-man roster guarantees

      1
      Reply
  9. Dumpster Divin Theo

    2 years ago

    Any relation to Deadpool dude

    Reply
  10. Dumpster Divin Theo

    2 years ago

    Reds told Ben to go “Lively up yourself” as they escorted him off the property

    Reply
    • runningwithnailclippers

      2 years ago

      Does your grandmother write these for you?

      Reply
  11. Old York

    2 years ago

    What an astonishing revelation from the Reds! Ben Lively, the prodigious pitcher with a 5.38 ERA, has been outrighted to Triple-A. I’m sure the baseball world is trembling at the thought of him potentially electing minor league free agency after the World Series. We’re talking about a pitcher who ranked a whopping sixth on the team in innings pitched! Move over, Cy Young candidates. Lively is here to show us the true meaning of mediocre stats. And how dare they outright a player who hasn’t thrown a pitch in the majors for over four years and clearly struggled during his “comeback” season? The audacity! Suitors will undoubtedly be lining up to sign a guy with an ERA that would make a batting practice pitcher blush. Bravo, Reds, for this groundbreaking move in the world of baseball transactions.

    Reply

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