Is the Cincinnati Reds Bullpen Set?

When you think back to last season and the Cincinnati Reds playing meaningful games day in and day out, what do you remember? For me, one theme that has stood out is how often manager Terry Francona called upon the same bullpen arms.

Emilio Pagan, Tony Santillan, and Graham Ashcraft.

Sure, Scott Barlow, Connor Phillips, and others were sprinkled in, but you could almost guarantee one of those guys were getting the ball, usually at least two. Part of the reason was due to their success, but part was due to the other options not quite meeting the standard.

Addressing the bullpen was a clear priority heading into the offseason. Emilio Pagan, who closed out 32 games while pitching to the tune of a 2.88 ERA and 3.72 FIP, was the top priority and the Reds quickly worked to resign him. Lefty Caleb Ferguson was brought in to handle the top situational lefty moments. Pierce Johnson was added in a move that I didn’t expect, but it’s one that I like.

After bringing back Pagan and adding two lefties with some experience, you have to wonder if the Reds are finished on the bullpen front, or if there’s another move to come.

Current Options

Cincinnati will have a number of familiar faces returning to the bullpen from last season. Instead of breaking these names down one at a time, I find it easier to group them by their expected role heading into 2026. This way it is clear where they are strong and which group needs more help.

Note: I have used an asterisk (*) to indicate players not on the 40-man roster.

High-Leverage Options: Emilio Pagan, Tony Santillan, Pierce Johnson

Emilio Pagan and Tony Santillan were workhorses for the Reds last season. Pagan appeared in 70 games and Santillan in 80, usually filling the highest-leverage spot in late and close games. Bringing Pagan back was not cheap, but it made sense considering how few internal options had closing experience and how expensive filling that role is on the open market.

Overall, I have faith in both of these pitchers with a few reservations. Pagan can be susceptible to danger due to producing so many fly balls and rarely relying on ground balls. Perhaps his sinker usage will increase as he ages, which should help avoid barrels and drive more balls into the ground.

Santillan’s fastball can catch too much of the plate which led to hard contact, and his expected numbers (4.34 xERA, 4.05 xFIP) paint the picture of luck being on his side last season. However, he does get enough swing-and-miss to navigate lineups and get out of jams.

The last name on the list, Pierce Johnson, might surprise some as a high-leverage option. A proven vet with a FIP under 4.00 in each of the past six seasons, Johnson brings experience and a curveball that would give batters a different look than the names mentioned above.

Even if I don’t necessarily agree with it, I’m willing to bet Francona will lean into the veteran who’s pitched in those scenarios in the past.

Middle Relievers: Graham Ashcraft, Connor Phillips, Zach Maxwell

This faction of names is fun to unpack. Maxwell is the big-bodied flamethrower that every fan loves to see coming out of the bullpen. Control is an issue, but the upside is there to develop into a late-inning option.

Ashcraft and Phillips also have the ability to be bumped into late innings. Ashcraft simplified his pitch mix to his cutter and unique slider, which helped him rack up an elite 55.9% ground-ball rate while also improving the swing-and-miss.

Francona went to him often, and if there are runners on, there’s a good chance Ashcraft can get the ground-ball double play. He also featured a sneaky 2.72 FIP in 2025.

Oh, what a roller coaster Phillips has been. A top prospect who was all but forgotten about before pitching to a 1.80 ERA in 17 games in the second half. In those 20 innings, he racked up 28 strikeouts and only eight walks, which is good for Phillips.

As much as I liked what I saw down the stretch, I need to see a larger sample size before getting too worked up. If the control can prove to be passable, the Reds have an intriguing young arm with a ton of swing-and-miss upside.

Lefties: Caleb Ferguson, Sam Moll, Joel Valdez*, Brandon Leibrandt*

The addition of Caleb Ferguson did not cause much buzz around the baseball world, but it was incredibly crucial for the Reds. Not because Ferguson is a dynamic lefty or a ticket-pushing local kid, but because of the need for a southpaw.

Ferguson has put together five straight seasons with a FIP under 3.75, generates ground balls at a career 46% rate, and held lefties to a .465 OPS last season. That’s at least a solid baseline and upgrade from what else is available.

Sam Moll returns hoping for a better, and healthier, 2026. We have seen him be useful in the past, but I am glad he is not the number one lefty option. I wouldn’t mind if he wasn’t number two, either.

I do like the limited looks I’ve had of Joel Valdez. The 25 year-old lefty posted a 1.38 ERA, 2.71 FIP, and 10.84 K/9 in Double-A. Elite ground-ball rate with enough swing-and-miss to be a promising, under-the-radar option.

Other/Depth: Yosver Zulueta, Luis Mey, Jose Franco, Lyon Richardson*, Josh Staumont*, Hagen Danner*, Tejay Antone*, Simon Miller*, Jose Acuna*

The group above will soon be joined by a number of non-roster invitees. Zulueta, Antone, and Staumont are the veterans, although I don’t necessarily have much faith in any being more than a guy to fill injury innings. Hell, Antone and Staumont have mostly been the ones injured recently.

With Jose Franco on the 40 man, I elected to place him in the bullpen even though he’s mostly been a starter. If Brandon Williamson, Jesus Agiuar, Rhett Lowder, and others are ahead of him, then his easiest path to the roster is in the bullpen.

I think Luis Mey has the stuff to be a productive major leaguer but his tendency to spray the ball has held him back. If the Reds are able to reel him in, he could be on the same path as Connor Phillips.

Jose Acuna is another name to watch. I’d prefer the Reds move him to the bullpen, where his stuff can play up in short innings. In the few stints he spent in the bullpen during his time in Chattanooga, the stuff really popped.

What Else Is Needed?

Now that we have highlighted the options and potential roles, where do you see a need for improvement? The most obvious need, to me, is another lefty. Not because Sam Moll and Caleb Ferguson are sub-par, but because the depth behind them is nonexistent.

I’m sure a number of veteran lefties will be given a non-roster invite to spring training. Is that good enough? Depending on the names, it could be. Out of the names still available on the open market, Danny Colombe would be my choice; although at 36 years old, he’s not a slam-dunk option.

A trade would be the path to a higher-end option, which doesn’t seem likely.

When Cincinnati added Pierce Johnson, I saw that as the end of a high-leverage possibility. I would have preferred Johnson in more of a middle relief role, but I think they landed a pretty decent option, all things considered.

As it stands today, one of Maxwell, Zulueta, or a non-roster invitee will fill the last spot in the bullpen. We’ve seen worse scenarios in most seasons as a Reds fan, but I still think there’s room for an arm.

We often see bullpens take a number of injuries throughout the year, often starting in spring training. The Reds are currently one injury away from multiple non-roster invitees or unproven rookies on the Opening Day roster.

What I have learned in recent years is to build depth using players with options. Do not roll into a season with a hope that the current options will be healthy.

Instead, the Reds should go into spring training with one or two names they expect to be locks battling for a roster spot. One way or another, it will sort itself out. They can always use an option and recall the player once an injury takes place.

Final Thoughts

Overall, if I had to put a grade on this bullpen, I would give them a C.

I don’t view this group as a top 10-12 bullpen, but more of a middle to slightly below middle of the pack. That being said, the number of less-proven options that come with talent does raise the ceiling from what I viewed the bullpen as last season.

If Pagan is not as good as he was in 2025, then the Reds will likely have a problem. Santillan is far from cemented as an established option, and Johnson helps — but doesn’t solve — any regression from Pagan.

Maxwell and Phillips having the stuff to squint and see a potential leverage arm gives the insurance plan some legs.

To put it simply, the Reds do not have the amount of high-end, established arms to feel bulletproof. What they do have is enough unknown, with flashes, to avoid feeling doomed. I don’t think the Reds season success will live or die by the bullpen, which is actually not a bad position to be in as a small-market team.