The Cincinnati Reds have signed reliever Scott Barlow to a one-year, $2.5 million contract, reports ESPN’s Jesse Rogers. The deal is pending a physical. The 32-year-old right-handed reliever had a 4.25 ERA across 63 games with the Cleveland Guardians last season. He also owns a career 3.49 ERA across 387 innings pitched. In 2021 and 2022, Barlow was recognized as one of the best back-end relievers in the American League, sporting a 2.30 ERA while saving 40 games across 140 appearances.
Reds Sign Back-End Reliever Scott Barlow
The Reds adding Barlow to their bullpen provides a solid addition to their 7th or 8th option in the pen. Barlow was dominant in several aspects of his pitching last season. According to Baseball Savant, he sported a groundball rate of 32.6%, a hard-hit rate of 33.6%, a whiff rate of 32.6 %, and an average exit velocity of 86.2 mph. With his 68 strikeouts across 55 innings pitched, the Reds snagged Barlow at a great price. Barlow also provides the added value of producing swings and misses. Barlow is reminiscent of free-agent Reds reliever Buck Farmer, who Barlow will likely replace.
Both carry the strength of getting outs. Barlow can get batters to swing and miss with the use of his slider which also produces more whiffs. Barlow also relies on his fastball, curve, and sinker to take down opponents.
While they didn’t make any blockbuster moves, the Reds added key pieces, including infielder Gavin Lux, All-Star reliever Taylor Rogers, and outfielder Austin Hays. The hiring of manager Terry Francona signals a commitment to turning things around after a tough 2024 season. Despite a limited budget, the Reds had a productive offseason, strengthening both their lineup and bullpen to remain competitive. With the addition of Scott Barlow, the Reds’ bullpen now features a formidable trio alongside Rogers and Barlow.
In the starting rotation, Hunter Greene, Nick Martinez, Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo, and rookie Rhett Lowder are expected to lead the pitching staff in 2025.
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