February 13: The Reds officially announced Barlow’s deal today. Right-hander Julian Aguiar was transferred to the 60-day IL in a corresponding move. Aguiar had Tommy John surgery in October and will likely miss the entire 2025 season. Per Mark Sheldon of MLB.com, Barlow’s deal breaks down as a $1.5MM salary and $1MM buyout on a $6.5MM club option for 2026.
February 11: The Reds and free agent reliever Scott Barlow are in agreement on a one-year, $2.5MM contract, reports Jesse Rogers of ESPN. The Warner Sports client’s agreement is still pending the completion of a physical.
Barlow, 32, was brilliant for the Royals from 2021-22, pitching to a combined 2.30 earned run average with a 28.2% strikeout rate against an 8.4% walk rate en route to tallying 40 saves and 20 holds. He’s taken a couple steps back in the two seasons since, providing a still-serviceable 4.32 ERA but diminished velocity and strikeout/walk rates that have trended in the wrong direction.
The Guardians, who had MLB’s best bullpen in 2024, wound up designating Barlow for assignment and releasing him in mid-September. He’d have been postseason-ineligible with a new club at that point and was ticketed to go back into free agency following the season, so he didn’t end up signing with a new club.
Last year’s 91.4 mph average four-seamer with the Guardians was a career-low for Barlow, sitting nearly four miles per hour shy of his average 95.3 mph from 2021. Since Opening Day 2023, he’s fanned 27% of his opponents against a 12% walk rate while suiting up for Kansas City, San Diego and Cleveland.
Even with the reduced velocity and worsening command, there are still positives to take away from Barlow’s 2024 season. His 13.5% swinging-strike rate remained comfortably north of the 11.5% league average. He doesn’t induce chases off the plate as much as he did at his peak. His opponents’ contact rate when they do chase is south of 41%, placing him in the top-10 of all 169 qualified big league relievers in that department. His opponents’ 83.9% contact rate on pitches in the strike zone is also a couple percentage points shy of average. Barlow’s four-seamer and sinker don’t have the life they used to, but his slider and curveball both miss bats at super premium rates and induce weak contact when opponents do put bat to ball.
Beyond those sharp breaking pitches and their ability to miss bats, Barlow offers a simpler benefit to manager Terry Francona: durability. The right-hander made his big league debut late in 2018 and has never been on the major league injured list. He’s made at least 61 appearances in each of the past five 162-game seasons and pitched in more than half the Royals’ 60 games (32) during the shortened 2020 campaign. Perhaps that heavy workload has contributed to his declining velocity, but Barlow is as durable as it gets for a reliever these days. Since 2019, only Hector Neris has appeared in more games than Barlow’s 359, and no reliever has more innings than Barlow’s 372.
Barlow will slot into a setup role in a reshaped Cincinnati bullpen. Alexis Diaz will reprise his role as closer, but setup man Fernando Cruz was sent to the Yankees in exchange for catcher Jose Trevino. The Reds picked up Taylor Rogers in a late trade with the Giants, too. Newcomers Rogers and Barlow will join holdovers Diaz, Emilio Pagan, Sam Moll, Tony Santillan and Brent Suter. The final couple spots in the ’pen will likely be determined in spring training. Former starters Graham Ashcraft and Carson Spiers are among the favorites — Spiers likely in swingman role — but the Reds have Yosver Zulueta and Lyon Richardson on the 40-man roster vying for spots as well (if Richardson isn’t in the Triple-A rotation). Non-roster options in camp include Alex Young, Ian Gibaut, Albert Abreu, Joe La Sorsa and Francona favorite (from their days in Cleveland) Bryan Shaw.
Hahahahaha
I must have missed the comedy in this post
Barlow sucks, I’m still laughing. You’ll see why by July
Cool…he got just 2.5 million so if he does suck, we won’t see him in July.
Good luck
Im not sure why I need luck based upon the small signing of a relief pitcher…but, thanks I guess.
Because this is, and pardon the hyperventilating..,the most important signing ever. And if goes south, all of baseball will be mocking the reds.
You are flexing despite not being able to do 5 push-ups. Simmer down.
Good. Another bullpen arm with a track record. Guess that closes the door on the bringing back Buck Farmer speculation.
By the way, liked that Tito video: Go earn it. Something that was needed. No one should be comfortable.
That video was great and I’m with ya, Barlow isn’t a stud, but hes a proven reliever and brings additional competition to spring.
I like it. The Reds aren’t doing anything major, but they are adding little tiny, semi-quality pieces.
This isn’t Buck Farmer.
Yeah, hasn’t farmer been better?
He had a better 2024, but Barlow has a better overall track record and at times has been dominate. I like the Barlow signing over Buck Farmer….but bullpens are fickle, so who knows.
But is it Todd Coffey?
Not sure Farmer is out of the picture entirely. Barlow only added $1.5MM to 2025 payrol with a $1MM buyout of a 2026 team option. A similar deal with Buck might still fit in the Reds payroll picture.. Maybe just a qestion of who’s healthy or not that are already under contract.
I wouldn’t think there’s enough room now for Buck. If Ashcraft is in the bullpen, Lowder in AAA, then that leaves guys like Gibaut, Young, Staumont, Spiers, etc in AAA.
Great signing. Barlow had a bit of a down year last year, but consistently gives you solid production and plenty of innings. The bullpen just got much more solid.
Tigers trade for Pagan?
Duno.
Sleeping at the wheel
What does this comment mean?
Its a trade RUMOR. The Reds would like to free up the money from that contract of Pagans’ or would have earlier……maybe still do.
Ah, I see. I’d be surprised. He did well despite injuries last year so hopefully a bounce back candidate. Maybe a wait and see how things are going at the deadline move. I can’t imagine the reds could move him for more than a salary dump while sending money to the receiving team right now.
Duno
Doubt Reds part ways with Duno. Maybe Cabrera and Pagan. Or maybe Diaz to Mets for Baty and a AA catcher. that would free up $4+ MM payroll.
Good signing. I trust TIto utilizing him in the right spot. Low key nice move for the reds.
Start diggin’ Trout.
Better than Pagan for sure
Good thing they have names on the back of the Reds jerseys…if this dude came in to relieve Rhett Lowder I am not 100 percent sure that I would notice a difference.
Lowder is gonna be a stud IMO
I agree. I was certainly not meaning to compare the talent of the two…just a little ‘joke’ about their appearances being similar.
Lowder is a stud with “elbow tightness” as reported yesterday. Here we go.
Solid signing. It’s ironic because in the week or so I said to myself I bet the Reds resign Buck Farmer or someone similar for around 2.5M before the start of spring training.
2 months ago, this signing would’ve set the bar low for the relief market.
Wow, 3 hairy guys in a row.
Now you and Bonnie Blue have something in common eh?
Harry Bolz?
Harold Ballzackio
Harold Blue Bolz
I like this move and the revamping of their pen, I read elsewhere they also signed Josh Staumont but it didn’t make clear if it was a big league deal or a minor league one with an ST invite…They are definitely looking like they have an actual contender plan fingers crossed
The idea of stockpiling arms is a good one. Gotta like it…
I believe the “experts” have stated the Reds are expected to have a below average bullpen. I’m not sure this signing is going to even modestly address those concerns.
However, he’s a better signing to address a perceived weakness than my Pirates made with the Pham and Frazier signings.
PEEEEEE YEW. Imagine not signing gibaut to a big league deal.
Lol are you Ian Gibaut? Because it’s very easy to see why he wasn’t signed to a major league deal.
It’s because Barlow is better than Gibaut
Another addition (Barlow) or 2 (Staumont) to the Reds relief corp. Quite indeterminal which veteran RP will have a good year in February. Good idea to stock the shelves full and monitor the field. I believe scouting ML pitching the Reds do well and the pitching staff in 2025 will reflect that.
Slightly suprised Krall was able to shake that Castellini moneytree and find another $2.5MM of leaf lettuce.
Marge Schott is turning in her grave. We’ve came a long way from being clean cut and no facial hair.
As long as Barlow can get hitters out she can keep turning
This is the part of the offseason where you take fliers on guys. Love that they double dipped today. Going to make our options better when injuries arise. In the past they had to call up guys that had no business being on an MLB roster.
Talk about setting the Barlow
With Lowder’s elbow and the Barlow signing, we can officially discount converting Ashcraft to a RP until at least Memorial Day. Also less chance Zuluetta, Richardson, Maxwell, Spiers & Sanmartin, make the active roster as they all have an option.
And he’ll be reunited with his old Royals teammate Brady singer
Come on. There shouldn’t be a comma before “too.” This is an archaic rule.