The Reds have designated right-hander Lyon Richardson for assignment. Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer was among the first to report the move, which will make room for Dane Myers on the 40-man roster. Myers was acquired from Miami via trade earlier today. It’s the second DFA of the day for Cincinnati, after Keegan Thompson met the same fate to free up a spot for free agent addition JJ Bleday.
Richardson earned his longest MLB look this past season. He made 34 appearances out of the bullpen for the Reds, pitching to a 4.54 ERA over 37 2/3 innings. Richardson posted a subpar 17.4% strikeout rate and an unsightly 12.2% walk rate. The young righty had a solid 53.8% ground ball rate, which helped him allow just two home runs despite his hitter-friendly home park.
Cincinnati selected Richardson in the second round of the 2018 draft. He routinely delivered strong strikeout numbers as he worked his way up the minor league ladder. Richardson ranked among the Reds’ top 10 prospects multiple times on MLB.com, reaching the No. 9 spot in 2021. He missed all of 2022 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Richardson compiled a 34.5% strikeout rate across three levels in 2023. He made his big-league debut that season, but it was a disastrous first stint in the majors. Richardson was hammered for 16 earned runs in 16 2/3 innings across four starts. The beginning of his career could not have gone worse, as he allowed home runs to CJ Abrams and Lane Thomas on the first two pitches he threw in a Reds uniform.
After working almost exclusively as a starter, Richardson moved into a relief role this past season. He did not experience the typical uptick in velocity that pitchers transitioning to the bullpen often see, as his fastball dropped about 1 mph compared to 2023 and 2024. Richardson did make an arsenal tweak as a reliever, pushing his changeup usage to 40.5%. He’d used the pitch around 30% of the time in his first two MLB seasons.
The changeup resulted in a Run Value of -5, so the increased usage might not have been the best approach. Richardson also ditched his slider and focused on the curveball as his primary breaking pitch last year. Finding a pitch mix that allows him to regain his strikeout ability will be key if he’s to get another shot with the Reds.
Photo courtesy of Katie Stratman, Imagn Images
Bad week to be a Lyon