Reds bullpen

2025: 30-30, 3.89 ERA (14th)

Offseason:

Lost/innings: Scott Barlow (68.1) and Brent Suter (67.2), Nick Martinez (165.2 combined), Ian Gibaut (25.1) 

Resigned: Emilio Pagan 

Added: Caleb Ferguson (L), Pierce Johnson, Brock Burke (L),

2026 Bullpen: 7 of 8 spots would appear to be filled

Emilio Pagán, Tony Santillan, Caleb Ferguson (L), Pierce Johnson, Brock Burke (L), Graham Ashcraft, Connor Phillips

Final spot/depth options: Does odd man out of 5th rotation spot (Burns/Lowder) take final bullpen spot? Sam Moll* (L), Zach Maxwell, Luis Mey, Lyon Richardson, Sam Benschoter, Hagen Danner, Joel Valdez (L), Darren McCaughan, Anthony Misiewicz (L), Yunior Marte, Tejay Antone

Reason to be excited: Veteran closer returns. Veteran additions. Better depth than a year ago.
Big step taken by Phillips (2.88 in 24 appearances), one run over final 10 appearances. Experience gained by Maxwell and Mey in rookie debuts. Ashcraft’s first season in pen: K rate jumped (16.3% to 22.5%), allowed just two homers in 65.1 innings. Pitched to some bad luck. His ERA was 3.99. His FIP 2.72.

Reason to be concerned: Heavy workloads of 2025. Santillan career high 80 appearances, 2nd most in MLB. Pagan career-high 70 appearances.
Can Pagan come close to replicating hig career best ’25 season, at age 32? Mey issued 17 BB in 21.0. Can they replace the every day help offered by Barlow? Can Moll bounceback from injuries?

(L) = left, (S) *Out of options