Bryan Shaw's struggles have opened the door for another Reds non-roster invitee

Even with the late additions of Tayler Rogers and Scott Barlow, the Cincinnati Reds’ bullpen has as many question marks as the other areas of the roster. Cincinnati welcomed eight relief arms, six of which were signed this offseason, to camp as non-roster invitees. In the mix are two veterans who are heading in two very different directions.

Bryan Shaw, who spent most of last season with the Los Angeles Angels’ Triple-A club, hoped for a late-career rebound when he signed with the Reds in January. He reunited with Terry Francona, who leaned heavily on the righty during their seven seasons together in Cleveland.

Ian Gibaut has surpassed Bryan Shaw in the battle for the Reds bullpen

However, Shaw’s spring has been a disaster. In his three outings, he has pitched just 2 ⅔ innings, giving up three runs and five walks. At this point, the likelihood of Shaw sticking in the Reds’ system is very slim. On the other hand, Ian Gibaut, who shared a dugout with Francona and Shaw for one game in Cleveland, could be the feel-good story of the spring.

Gibaut has battled injuries for much of his career, but even still, Francona pulled him in on a minor league contract. So far, the righty has made the most of the opportunity. He has yet to give up a hit, much less a run, this spring and is generating ground balls at a rate reminiscent of his 2023 breakout season in which he recorded 22 holds in 74 games for the Reds.

Gibaut will need to keep up the pace to compete for a spot in the bullpen, especially if he is going up against younger players like Graham Ashcraft and Carson Spiers. Still, for a player who has been DFA’d, waived, outrighted, and placed on the injured list more times than you can count, getting another chance to make a big-league roster is a golden opportunity.

More Cincinnati Reds News and Rumors