Alexis Diaz hitting IL shakes up Reds Opening Day bullpen in major way

The Cincinnati Reds will have a new closer on Opening Day. While Reds fans don't yet know who will get the ball in the ninth inning, we now know that it won't be Alexis Díaz. The Reds' right-hander will begin the 2025 season on the IL with a hamstring injury.

Díaz suffered the injury earlier in spring during fielding practice and missed a number of games at the outset of the Cactus League season. Upon his return to the mound, Díaz looked rather shaky and had trouble locating the strike zone. In just 3 ⅓ innings pitched this spring, Díaz owns a 13.50 ERA with five walks and only one strikeout.

Terry Francona and the Reds coaching staff decided that it would be best for Díaz to open the season on the IL and continue to get his legs under him. It's not yet known if Díaz will travel with the team to Cincinnati this week or if he'll stay behind with Andrew Abbott and rehab in Arizona.

Alexis Diaz hitting IL shakes up Reds Opening Day bullpen in major way

Díaz's absence from the Reds Opening Day roster paves the way for Ian Gibaut to join the Cincinnati bullpen. Gibaut spent a prolonged period of time on the IL himself last season, but was able to return and made two appearances last September. The Reds decided to DFA Gibaut this past winter, but re-signed him to a minor-league deal with a non-roster invite to spring training.

Gibaut has been his usual (steady) self this spring. In 10 innings pitched, the right-hander has 10 punch outs and three walks. He's allowed five runs on 12 hits and has a 4.50 ERA. Two years ago, Gibaut was Cincinnati's most reliable arm coming out of the bullpen. In 2023, Gibaut posted a 3.33 ERA in 75 ⅔ innings of work.

Díaz's placement on the IL also means that Graham Ashcraft should break camp with the big league ball club. The Reds made the move to switch Ashcraft from the rotation to the bullpen earlier this spring, and there's a good chance that Ashcraft could replace Díaz (at least in the short-term) as Cincinnati's closer.

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