GOODYEAR, Ariz. \u2014 If the Cincinnati Reds need it, Tony Santillan is ready to pitch in 81 games again this season. He ranked second in MLB in appearances last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cNinety-five percent of the times, I felt really good,\u201d Santillan said. \u201cWhen I said I was good to get the ball, I genuinely meant that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The good news for Santillan\u2019s right arm is that after the Reds prioritized building up more middle relief depth, he might not need to pitch as much in 2026. <\/p>\n
\u201cHopefully if things all go well, everyone gets to share the love,\u201d Santillan said. \u201cEveryone is around the same workload and we\u2019re all feeling fresh come October baseball. Then, we go on a run and win the whole thing. Regardless, I had a good offseason. I\u2019ll be ready.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last year, roles at the back of the Reds\u2019 bullpen were about as set as they were for any team in baseball. Graham Ashcraft typically pitched the seventh inning when the Reds had the lead, Santillan got the eighth and Emilio Pag\u00e1n was the closer. Do the Reds plan to go with the 7-8-9 approach again this season?<\/p>\n
\u201cThe idea is that on certain days, that might be really good,\u201d Terry Francona said. \u201cYou can\u2019t do it every day. The more reliable guys you have, the better. That way you don\u2019t overwork guys or underwork guys. You give yourself a chance to win when you\u2019re down one or two. When you have a select group of guys, you pay the price when you chase and don\u2019t win.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lefties Caleb Ferguson and Brock Burke have high-leverage experience and the ability to match up in specific situations. Pierce Johnson was the Reds\u2019 second-biggest relief pitcher addition in free agency over the last decade, and he\u2019s a candidate for some bigger innings. Connor Phillips, Luis Mey, Zach Maxwell and Lyon Richardson all have the talent to grow into a high-leverage role, and they each did get that opportunity and had flashes of success in 2025. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou look at what we have and you have some guys who have pitched at the back end of games and can go multiple innings,\u201d Derek Johnson said. \u201cThere\u2019s some versatility. We have left-handers who can help us out and actually a couple of them are pretty good against right-handed hitters as well. There are a lot of moving parts, but there are a lot of possibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n
With everything going on during a hectic final week of the regular season last year, there was a story that flew under the radar: Santillan\u2019s redemption against Cubs All-Star Pete Crow-Armstrong. <\/p>\n
Santillan was in for the save with the Reds leading 1-0 in the ninth inning over the Cubs. Santillan walked two batters. With two outs, PCA stepped up to the plate. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been waiting for that at-bat for a while,\u201d Santillan said. \u201cI got to face PCA. I\u2019ve been waiting for a while for that at-bat. Since May. I waited a long time for that at-bat. I was kind of upset that I walked (Michael) Busch. But at the same time, once I saw Pete step in there, I was happy, I guess. It\u2019s weird. I was happy to get my chance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Back in May, Santillan allowed a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning to Crow-Armstrong, who showed some astonishing power as he pulled a towering high fly ball over the foul pole. It was a viral highlight that accelerated Crow-Armstrong\u2019s star-turn. He celebrated the homer by flipping his bat high in the air, turning to the dugout, yelling out, pounding his chest and then flexing as he rounded the bases. You won\u2019t see a much bigger celebration on a baseball field all year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was tipping my pitches,\u201d Santillan said. \u201cThat\u2019s all on me.\u201d<\/p>\n
They met again in late September. Santillan struck him out to end the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had been waiting for that at-bat for a while now,\u201d Santillan said. \u201cI finally got it, and I did what I knew I could do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Santillan wants the smoke, embraces the moment and has the stuff to overpower any hitter in the game. <\/p>\n
Every time I spoke with Santillan last season \u2014 a year where he was tied for third in MLB in relief pitcher WAR \u2014 he spoke about how he wasn\u2019t yet where he wanted to be. Privately, coaches would tell him, \u201cYou know you\u2019re really good right?\u201d Santillan would keep tinkering, and keep improving. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always been that way,\u201d Santillan said. \u201cI\u2019m very picky. I wouldn\u2019t say I like to be perfect because that\u2019s what gets me in trouble. I\u2019m very hard to satisfy. There\u2019s always something I\u2019m trying to reach. For me, it\u2019s a never ending cycle. I do something good, but then I find something to pick at.\u201d<\/p>\n
The mindset was the key to his journey from a pitcher who got DFAd at the end of the 2023 season and went unclaimed on waivers to one of the best relievers in MLB in 2025. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt meant a lot to me to prove that \u2014 I\u2019ve said it several times \u2014 when I\u2019m healthy I believe I\u2019m one of the best relievers out there,\u201d Santillan said. \u201cIt was nice to show that durability and put some numbers and performances behind that statement. I\u2019m always trying to be better. That\u2019s my way of always staying in that mindset and competing against everyone else and with myself. That\u2019s what separates me. That mental fight.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Santillan threw his first live bullpen of the spring. <\/p>\n
\u201cI feel fresh,\u201d Santillan said. \u201cI\u2019m in a good spot right now, where I want to be.\u201d<\/p>\n
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