TODAY: Thompson has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Double-A Chattanooga, the Reds announced.
MAY 23: The Reds announced Thursday that they’ve designated outfielder Bubba Thompson for assignment in order to create 40-man roster space for righty Brett Kennedy, whose contract has been selected from Triple-A Louisville. Kennedy will take the 26-man roster spot of reliever Emilio Pagan, who’s being placed on the 15-day injured list due to tightness in his right triceps.
Thompson appeared in 17 games for the Reds but received only 18 plate appearances. He’s among the fastest players in MLB — if not the fastest — but has long had struggles at the plate, thus relegating him to a defensive replacement and pinch-running role. He went 2-for-18 with a double and five steals in his small handful of plate appearances but also punched out a glaring 11 times (61.1%).
A first-round pick by the Rangers in 2017, Thompson was a multi-sport star and legitimate football prospect as well prior to his selection and the signing of a $2.1MM bonus out of the draft. He’s now seen time in parts of three MLB seasons but is just a .232/.273/.295 hitter (58 wRC+) with a huge 32% strikeout rate and just a 4.2% walk rate. Thompson’s speed is off the charts, and he showed a bit of pop with 16 minor league big flies in 2021 and another 14 homers in 2022.
However, Thompson has still struggled to refine his approach at the plate even in the upper minors. He’d been playing with Cincinnati’s Double-A affiliate at the time of his DFA and, in 37 trips to the plate, carried a .200/.243/.314 slash. Thompson does have a .284/.347/.440 output in 145 Triple-A games, but that comes out to around league-average when adjusting for the electric run-scoring environment in the Pacific Coast League.
This is Thompson’s fifth DFA since last August. He’s yet to make it through waivers. The Royals claimed him off waivers from Texas but subsequently lost him to the Reds in October. When Cincinnati designated Thompson for assignment in late December, the Yankees put in a claim — only to DFA him again just weeks later. The Twins claimed Thompson but, like the Yankees, designated him for assignment after only a couple weeks, at which point the Reds claimed him a second time. He’s been with Cincinnati since that point but will now be traded or placed on waivers yet again within the next five days.
Kennedy, 29, has pitched in parts of two big league seasons: 2018 with the Padres and 2023 with the Reds. He’ll now get a second stint in Cincinnati and hope for better results than he turned in last year, when he was tagged for 13 runs in 18 innings. Kennedy has spent the 2024 season in the Louisville rotation but been roughed up for a 6.86 ERA in 40 2/3 frames (eight starts). His 18.9% strikeout is below-average by around five percentage points, but his excellent 4.7% walk rate is nearly half the league-average rate.
Kennedy will add some length to the bullpen in place of Pagan, who inked a surprising two-year, $16MM deal with the Reds this offseason — one that allows him the opportunity to opt out at season’s end. It was a surprise fit, given Cincinnati’s homer-happy stadium and Pagan’s longstanding penchant for big home run totals but also big strikeout rates. True to form, Pagan has already served up four taters in 19 1/3 innings of work (1.86 HR/9) but also punched out a substantial 30.5% of his opponents. He’s sitting on a 4.19 ERA to begin his Reds tenure, but his season will now be paused for at least the next couple weeks as he lets that ailing triceps mend.
Just what they need, another batting practice pitcher.
Yeah why not bring up Tony Santillan or activate Alex Young?
They’ll probably be activating Nick Lodolo soon so whoever they add now is likely to get optioned in just a few days. In any case it doesn’t really matter who’s at the end of the Reds’ bullpen if the team’s bats never wake up.
Santana is doing well in Louisville, good question
Bubba was a major distraction by the Reds. with this dfa, have to give Krall a failure on this move. Hell Sinai or Hopkins could have done no worse. I can see why the Reds didn’t promote Santillan yet. But why not Bruihl, or Kriske? What’s the major loss there? Savng an entire bullpen for 2025? DJ and Krall have to pull their shoes and socks off so they can count past 12 in situations like this.
A good point is that DJ is the blessing and the curse. There are some reclamations but his “unique” coaching style and exercises rub a lot of MLB pitchers the wrong way. IMHO, Bell is fine but DJ should move on to other pastures to everyone’s benefit…
Can’t agree. Team ERA under 4. Reds have good to great pitching prospects at all levels. Hang the hitting instructors by their little toes, but let’s keep Derek
Yes,cguy pitching has improved under DJ. It’s lack of offense causing our demise. 4 injuries/suspension have cost at least a couple runs per game and by my calculations all those one run losses could turn into wins. No lineup in MLB could loose 4 of their best and still be competent.
Again? In the world of professional comedians the mantra is “never repeat a joke on the same platform”.
“Professional comedians”…Apparently you think more of “Trojan Toss'” comedic ability than do I. In my opinion, he’s more likely a not-ready-for-primetime guy struggling to hold onto his day job.
And working on his act in his parents basement in front of a mirror
Can’t bring up Santillan. Put him on the roster and then you can’t send him back to the minors except thru waiver. He would get claimed. Rather have him than Pagan tho.
Kennedy LOLOLOL We must be tanking already.
Half of the starting lineup is on the DL.
Bell won’t be fired and Definitely should be.
MLB should force Castellini and Pirate’s owner to sell, and maybe a few others. Lose 7 of 10 years and you’re forced to sell. Rule to re-invest your profits. Bob C has made about 800 million to a Billion on a losing club.
Be damned if I’m paying for parking, tickets and food n drinks at their prices.
Only place the I spend money is $4 a month on reds minor leagues, and that guys politics have me rethinking that monthly purchase.
Cinredsfan, you point out that half of the starting lineup is on the IL (not to mention the pitching injuries) but then continue on to say that Bell should be fired.
Most the team is not hitting right now. What would you have Bell do?
Are you sure you are not on the Reds payroll? You are all over these sites carrying water for Bob Castellini.
Perhaps firing the manager may show your customer base you have at least a passing interest in winning?
If the manager doesn’t matter at all,as you contend, why not buy a homeless guy a 40 ounce to run the club?
Earm is just being fair. No way is this Bell’s fault. I blame the batboys. Notice how lazy they are? Seriously, we all are disappointed how this season has unfolded but Bell cannot shoulder all of it and firing him would not change the outcome .
Bubby, how exactly am I carrying water for Castellini? I rarely mention him, and when I do it’s not in a positive light.
I took issue with noting that half of the starting lineup is on the IL while calling for Bell to be fired.
And nowhere did I contend that the manager doesn’t matter.
If the team is healthy and still underperforming, you might have a leg to stand on. But the firing of Bell isn’t going to make the team healthy. Empty gestures won’t change this team’s fortunes.
Hitting under Bell has subpar annually.
Bell putting Moll in today with diminished velocity worked about how this little league coach told his wife what would happen. I have won the league championship 7 of the last 9 years. I know I’m best in little league. Bell isn’t qualified to coach little league, let alone mlb. FACT!
You say hitting under Bell is subpar annually. Just last year they were 5th in the NL in runs scored, 5th in OBP, and 5th in Slugging %. And that was with a team in transition, starting a bunch of rookies, and losing key players for significant time.
There was widespread condemnation when Moll was sent to the minors because he was pitching well, and now you’re complaining that Bell used him. Fact is that most of the bullpen has underperformed this year and Bell’s choices are thus limited.
Let me take half of your starting little league lineup and sit them. Then I’ll take your best pitcher (Lodolo) and sit him for most of your season. Good luck with that little league championship.
At this point your being an Obtuse A. Bell getting fired would mean another manager who’s got the same injured team and a couple of regressing players on it in Steer and Benson. Along with the obvious fact that Managers are less in control of who’s in the lineup or where and how or who’s available in the bullpen. The FO analysis teams control most of what goes on now. Go read Joe Madden and his book on how managers are expected to operate now. If they take control out of a WS winning managers hand then sure as F they are to Bell. And anyone else they hire.
Never understood why these speedsters don’t learn to bunt. If you’re good at it and fast it’s as good as a single. Billy Hamilton flat out refused to from what I have read. He’d probably have made a lot more money and would be someone’s every day center fielder if he just learned to drop a bunt. Brett Butler made a career out of bunting. Guess it’s not as glamorous as 500 ft home runs, but most guys aren’t Elly De La Cruz and can do both. Learn to bunt Bubba and you just may play for one team for more than a month.
Bunting is overrated. It was important in the deadball era, though, back when the original Slidin’ Billy Hamilton played and where runs were hard to come by. Learning to bunt would not have made any difference to Hamilton’s career. They would have just started bringing the infielders in every time he came up.
How is bunting over rated? A single is a single. Got to get on base to score. And yes it would have prolonged his career. Do you know anything about strategy? Ever manage at any level. Probably not. You can’t teach speed for one. Number two, if the infield is drawn in it’s much easier to get a hit through. Can’t believe the goobers that think they know baseball.
Troll. My sister had troll dolls as a kid which were rather cute.
You’re more like a gnat to be swatted away. Please tell me you’re no more than 14 years old …
Time to extend David Bell into the next millennium.
I never understood this acquisition to begin with. Regardless there are several players at the MLB level who need optioned. It’s a sad world being a Reds fan.
Votto Loco? Or big black bubba? Who ya got
maybe it is time for Bubba to look into football
When they send you down to AA instead of AAA, that is a big sign you aren’t long for the sport.
If I were a GM I’d sign him