The Reds announced this morning that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Tony Santillan. To make room or Santillan on the 40-man and active rosters, outfielder Nick Martini was transferred to the 60-day injured list while right-hander Carson Spiers was placed on the 15-day IL with a right shoulder impingement.
It’s far from Santillan’s first stint in the majors with Cincinnati. The 27-year-old was a second-round pick by the club back in 2015 and made his debut with the club back in 2021, when he was one of the club’s top relievers. In 43 1/3 innings of work that season, Santillan posted a strong 2.91 ERA (162 ERA+) despite a somewhat lackluster 4.62 FIP in 26 games. While Santillan struck out an excellent 29.5% of opponents, his 11.1% walk rate and his seven homers allowed both weighed that down somewhat.
Those issues, combined with a back strain that sidelined Santillan for much of the 2022 campaign and the early part of the 2023 season, left the right-hander on the outside looking in of the club’s bullpen mix going forward, however. Over those two injury-marred seasons, Santillan struggled to a 5.09 ERA with a 4.52 FIP, 19.3% strikeout rate, and 14.9% walk rate while pitching just 23 total frames in the majors. His work in the minors last year wasn’t much better, as he was torched to the tune of a 7.88 ERA in 35 appearances at the Triple-A level last season.
Despite that rough performance, the Reds nonetheless re-signed Santillan to a minor league deal this past offseason, and that decision has largely paid off. The righty has looked much better at Triple-A this season than he did a year ago, posting a 3.49 ERA with a 3.87 FIP in 38 2/3 innings of work as a single-inning reliever. While his 13.2% walk rate is still elevated as ever, his strikeout rate has bounced back in a big way to compensate: he’s fanned 30.5% of opponents this year. That high strikeout rate was a big part of what made him so successful in 2021, and given that it’s hardly a surprise that the Reds would be interested in seeing what he can do at the big league level.
Making room for Santillan on the Cincinnati roster is Spiers, who has emerged as a quality middle relief arm for the Reds this year after struggling in his first taste of big league action last season. The 26-year-old posted an ERA north of 6.00 in 13 innings of work in 2023 but has emerged looking far better this season with a solid 3.83 ERA and even more impressive numbers under the hood while swinging between the rotation and bullpen this year. While Spiers has only struck out 20.5% of batters faced this year, an excellent 4.5% walk rate has left him with a 3.51 FIP and a 3.86 SIERA, both of which are well above average marks. Fortunately, Spiers told reporters (including Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer) this afternoon that his injury figures to be only a short-term issue and that he expects to miss just one start.
As for Martini, the outfielder’s transfer to the 60-day IL is hardly a surprise given the fact that he underwent surgery on his thumb earlier this week. Martini’s timetable for return isn’t entirely clear, though he’s expected to be able to return before the end of the year. That return now won’t come until after September 5, 60 days after he was first sidelined by the injury. In 163 trips to the plate with the Reds this year, Martini has slashed a lackluster .212/.272/.370.
Reds injury? SHOCKER!!
Baseball player injury? SHOCKER!!
So Nick Martinez back into the rotation after the ASB?
Yeah, because he has done so well there so far.
That was indeed sarcasm, folks.
It’s more that there’s not anyone in the bullpen with minor league options apart from Cruz and Diaz, neither of whom they’re likely to option. With Santillan’s addition as another reliever without options, they can’t easily add another starter back to the roster.
Reds don’t need Spiers until the 23rd. Giving him a break at full pay.
I was wondering how many were gonna panic…
Santillan’s last option too – will need to go if he gets sent back down. Reds are going to trade at least RP, heard it from me, not the sportswriter from The Athletic I don’t like.
That won’t be all they sell, as I have predicted before.
I laugh at those who expect them to add. We know how that went last year.
They do this often, demote the 5th/emergency starter to add an extra guy in the bullpen. In this case, the 4th starter because they have no 5th one.
Spiers’ IL placement needs to be at least a semi-legitimate. MLB dinged the Mets for manipulating use of the IL last season.
Which was hilarious because this has been done for years and no one was dinged. The Dodgers are especially adept at using the IL for stashing a guy over the years.
This is over due.
Not yet a big deal about about Spiers to 15 day IL. He can start on 7/28- so he only misses 1 start. Probably use Suter as opener, as they have before. Time for Santillan to sink or swim. He has a couiple weeks to prove he belongs at the ML level- or Krall searches for BP help at trade deadline. As for 2nd half rotation, I expect to see Richardson (on 40-man roster already) and maybe Justus Scheffield (has 33 ML starts under his belt) in August rotation. Aguiar is a SP possibility in September.
As much as The Reds suck at everything posters would love to pile on. Reds trainers and doctors cannot force players to get MRI on every bump and bruise you have. Like Ashcraft. And some players don’t feel the need to say something is wrong if it’s minor. To then anyways.
Spiers even said it’s not that serious. They used to label it arm fatigue and put you in the bullpen as an emergency back in the 60s and 70s. But yes they literally did pitch through stuff they shouldn’t have a lot. Along with the greenies they took.
They don’t need a 5th starter for some time here so it’s all very convenient and could lead to a trade of either Sims or Wilson.