Cincinnati Reds Bolster Bullpen, Signing Veteran Scott Barlow to One-Year Deal

The Cincinnati Reds added another proven relief pitcher to the mix on Tuesday. They're signing veteran Scott Barlow to a one-year, $2.5 million contract according to multiple reports.

Barlow is a proven veteran. In seven years he has averaged more than a strikeout per inning in 387 total innings. He has also limited opponents well with a career 3.49 ERA and .227 batting average against.

He is a picture of reliability, too. The only two seasons in his seven-year career that he didn’t make 60+ appearances were his first year in the bigs and then again in 2020—when he would have literally had to pitch in every game. He still led the big leagues with 32 appearances that season.

That reliability will come in handy for a group that lost three of the four pitchers who appeared in 60 or more games in 2024.

This narrows down the open seats to one in the Reds bullpen this spring. You can maybe squint and see two spots if Tony Santillan doesn’t have a guaranteed spot.

Nick Krall has done well to shore up the bullpen this offseason.