The Reds signed left-hander Reiver Sanmartin and infielder Alex Blandino to minor league deals within the last week, according to Cincinnati’s official transactions page. Sanmartin was assigned to Triple-A Louisville, while Blandino was assigned to Double-A Chattanooga.
Sanmartin was cut loose by the Reds just prior to the non-tender deadline, and he’ll now return to the team while no longer part of the 40-man roster. It doesn’t seem like he’ll be available for most or even all of the 2024 season after undergoing UCL surgery back in July, if that surgery was indeed a standard Tommy John procedure. However, Sanmartin’s prognosis improves if he underwent an internal brace procedure, which carries a more fluid but perhaps significantly shorter recovery timeline depending of the nature of the injury. Should Sanmartin fall within that 6-9 month range for a brace surgery, he might be ready to go for the start of Spring Training.
There wasn’t any mention whether or not Sanmartin’s minor league deal was for one or two years, as the longer deal would’ve hinted at a longer recovery. Such two-year pacts at either the minor league or Major League levels aren’t uncommon for pitchers recovering from major arm surgeries, as teams get to lock up a player with the acknowledgement that they’ll miss most or all of that first year. Just earlier today, the Red Sox inked a two-year minor league pact with Wyatt Mills, who had TJ surgery last July.
Sanmartin came to the Reds from the Yankees as part of the Sonny Gray trade in January 2019. Making his MLB debut in 2021 and then appearing for Cincinnati in each of the last three seasons, Sanmartin has a 5.77 ERA over 82 2/3 innings in the Show, working primarily as a reliever. With underwhelming walk and strikeout rates, Sanmartin’s 53.5% groundball rate is a highlight, though batters have been fortunate with a .339 BABIP against Sanmartin’s grounder-heavy approach. The 27-year-old southpaw has had better strikeout and control numbers down on the farm, en route to a 3.39 ERA over 446 career minor league innings.
Blandino is another former Red, as he was selected 29th overall by the team in the 2014 draft and then played all three of his MLB seasons (2018-21) in Cincinnati. However, a torn ACL and other injuries hampered his time in the big leagues, as Blandino had a penchant for drawing walks but not much else over the course of a .226/.339/.291 slash line in 279 plate appearances. After the Reds outrighted Blandino following the 2021 season, he spent some time in the minors with the Giants and Mariners, and his only pro experience in 2023 was playing with Team Nicaragua in the World Baseball Classic.
The 31-year-old Blandino has a lot of experience at both middle infield positions and at third base, plus a handful of appearances as a first baseman, corner outfielder, and even four mop-up pitching appearances in blowouts during the 2021 campaign. This versatility makes him a useful depth option to have on hand in the minors, especially since the Reds’ influx of young star prospects coming to the majors has thinned out the position-player ranks in their farm system.
Hmmm
You are going to see a lot of these and all invited to spring training. A couple might make it as bench options or bullpen filler.
They will sign another guy like Weaver and will say they “added pitching”.
They will miss the playoffs again because they didn’t do what they needed to despite the payroll space.
We have seen this act from Po Boy before.
It is looking a little less plausible that they will sign a decent pitcher now that Maeda, Gibson and Lynn are gone. Those were probably in their affordable range. If they don’t sign someone like Gray, then best possible choices may be Miley, Lugo or that type. If they signed two of those guys (highly unlikely) then they could trade for a bullpen arm or two? But I am not betting on it.
It’s quite literally unbelievable that Blandino’s slugging percentage could be lower than his batting average, but transposing the last two digits of his SLG will do that.
Such a bland singing
Have no idea why the Tefs want these two guys . Payroll is wide open this year why not go for experienced bench / utility players
Alright good to know the front office is getting warmed up before the winter meetings…. Can’t wait to see them go beast mode in the next couple weeks making moves…
You are being rhetorical right? Every Reds fan knows Castellini isn’t going to spend big money on a player of any talent. Last year he gave Hunter Greene decent money, money a top tier pitcher would get but controllable money, meaning he could trade him easily for 2 or 3 prospects and a bench player. But then that plan may have backfired with his time on the IR, and his inability to develop a second or third pitch to get outs with. He may try to lock up a couple of the rooks for smaller money but that will probably be the best he’ll do.
The offseason is heating up!
Sometime last week? Yeah, gotta hold the cards close to our chest on these two moves..
All the more reason to despise SOB… Son of Bob..
“Where are you gonna go?”
That still stings a little..
Agreed. It was totally ridiculous, unnecessary, and about as bad PR as they could get.
Amazing how quick to condemn moves some “fans” are. Obviously, Reds want to keep Sanmartin- but not on 40man roster while he’s rehabbing. As for Blandino, he was outrighted to AA Chatanooga- not given a ST ML camp invitation. Obviously a MiLB depth piece with versatility (even pitching experience). You do recall all teams had to reduce their minor league rosters by 15 players for 2024. A signing like Blandino makes a lot of sense-filling in gaps instead of overusing, or misusing valuable prospects. Evidently, Blandino has Nicaragua connections and helping out his agent by this signing can’t hurt possible inroads to that international prospect market.
Cheaply, I might add.
I mean while fans of teams like the Dodgers and Yankees get to speculate on if they will get Ohtani or Yamamoto, Reds fans get to speculate on who’s trash are we picking after the other team makes the big deal. How exciting!!!!
Reds were never in the conversation for Ohtani or Yamamoto and neither are a vast majority of the other teams. Winter meetings have not even started yet. I get how many Reds fans are bitter over ownership but it was not that long ago they had a team payroll over 100M. This is IMO a unique off season for the Reds with the plethora of young affordable seriously talented players, a division up for grabs and serious money to spend. Reds current payroll sits around 40M. They could spend 80M and be around league average. Most teams have not done anything yet so these two very little to no risk signings mean nothing. I personally will withhold any possible criticisms until after all the chips have fallen.
Agreed redsorbust. Let the off season happen. Lots of avenues still open. If nothing is done then you and I will scream as loud as anyone else.
My point is the Reds will take whoever the other team throws in the trash to get these players instead of trying to get decent players. The Dodgers and Yankees trash shouldn’t be the marquee signings of the off season and yes I’m not impressed with signing more trash like these 2 players.
That you Phil?
Bob Castellini running neck and neck with Fisher as the worst owner in Sports.