Braves offer Reds a chance to correct an offseason mistake

Over the winter, it seemed like only a matter of time before the Cincinnati Reds and Buck Farmer would come to terms on a one-year deal. The right-hander had been a stalwart performer for Cincinnati over the past three seasons, and the results from his 2024 campaign were some of the best he'd ever posted during his 11-year major league career.

But the two sides never came to an agreement and Farmer eventually settled for a minor-league deal (surprisingly) with his hometown Atlanta Braves. Farmer is from the Peach State, went to college at Georgia Tech, and was originally drafted (though he decided to honor his college commitment) by the Braves in 2009.

But Farmer is a free agent once again. The Braves released the right-hander this week after his ERA at Triple-A Gwinnett ballooned to 7.71 over five games this season. Farmer has demonstrated that same ability to throw strikes, as evidenced by his 29.2% strikeout rate. Unfortunately, the veteran walked nearly 17% of the batters he's faced and opponents are touching him up to the tune of a .350 batting average against.

Braves release Buck Farmer, allowing Reds to reunite with the veteran reliever

Maybe all Farmer needs is little help from his old pitching coach Derek Johnson. While Farmer's minor-league numbers are quite horrifying, it's incredibly early in the year, and the 34-year-old has shown himself to be a quality reliever for the Reds. Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall should pick up the phone and welcome Farmer back to Cincinnati with open arms.

Similar to the Braves, the Reds could offer Farmer a minor-league pact with an opt-out or two and let him get things straightened out at Triple-A Louisville. Farmer needed a minor-league tuneup during his initial season with the Reds back in 2022.

After an awful start saw Farmer post a 6.75 ERA during his first 10 outings that season, the Reds outrighted Farmer to the minor leagues. He returned just before the All-Star break and looked like a brand new pitcher. From July 9th through the end of the 2022 season, Farmer posted a 2.83 ERA and struck out 37 batters over 35 innings of work.

At this point, reuniting with Farmer is a no-brainer. The Reds have pitching prospects Zach Maxwell and Luis Mey at Triple-A Louisville, along with veteran reliever Bryan Shaw. Adding Farmer to the mix would only strengthen Cincinnati's pitching depth in the minors.

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