The Cincinnati Reds have largely been in hibernation mode since being quickly dispatched by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the playoffs, but the action will soon pick up steam.

Cincinnati made its first playoff appearance in a 162-game season since 2013 this year, so there’s plenty to be optimistic about. But the Reds will have to make shrewd roster moves all winter to improve in the hotly-contested National League Central, which featured two teams (Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs) with records head and shoulders above their own.

On Tuesday, the Reds completed their first roster move of any significance since the season ended, and it foreshadows lots more action in the upcoming days and weeks.

According to the official transaction log on the MLB.com website, the Reds activated right-handed pitcher Ian Gibaut from the 60-day injured list and outrighted him to Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday. This means Gibault also had to be designated for assignment and cleared waivers within the last few days.

Gibaut, 31, is a seven-year major league veteran who has made 134 appearances for the Reds over the last four seasons. He was a key cog in the team’s bullpen in 2023, making 74 appearances with a 3.33 ERA, but he suffered a forearm strain last year and a shoulder impingement this season that caused him to make just 27 major league appearances in a two-year stretch.

With a 4.62 ERA and only 15 strikeouts recorded in his 25 1/3 innings against big-league competition this year, it wasn’t hard to see why the Reds felt that Gibaut wasn’t one of their more appealing options to construct their bullpen for next season.

Removing Gibaut from the 40-man roster allows the Reds to add someone back from the 60-day IL, which will likely happen in the first few days after the World Series ends (either Friday or Saturday). Former first-round pick Rhett Lowder is a lock for a 40-man spot, and there are a handful of others still waiting to find out their fates.

Meanwhile, as he did last offseason, Gibaut can elect free agency at any time and get a jump on finding a new contract for next season, which will likely have to be a minor-league deal.

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