Ian Gibaut strengthens grip on Reds Opening Day roster spot, but there's a catch

Only a handful of Opening Day roster spots are still up for grabs. Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona has already named four of his five starting pitchers to begin the year, and all signs point to Andrew Abbott getting the nod as Cincy's No. 5 starter if he's healthy enough to take the mound.

But the bullpen is a different story. Depending on who you ask, there could be as few as one, but as many as four openings in the Reds bullpen. Emilio Pagán, Scott Barlow, Taylor Rogers, and Brent Suter are locks. Tony Santillan, Alexis Díaz, and Sam Moll probably make the cut, but those three names are not set in stone. There's also Graham Ashcraft and Carson Spiers.

But one player who should join the Reds relief corps is Ian Gibaut. The Reds' stalwart reliever was one of the most reliable pitchers in 2023, but injuries prevented Gibaut from stepping onto the hill until September last season. The right-hander made just two appearances and was let go during the offseason.

Ian Gibaut strengthens grip on Reds Opening Day roster spot, but there's not enough room on the 40-man roster

Gibaut returned to Cincinnati on a minor-league deal this offseason, and has been one of the Reds best pitchers in camp. Gibaut is 2-0 in nine appearances with 10 strikeouts in nine inning pitched. With so many teams in need of pitching, the Reds would risk losing Gibaut if they attempted to pass him through waivers.

That means the Reds will need to add Gibaut to the 40-man roster. That shouldn't be a problem, right? Well, that depends. The Reds roster is currently sitting at 39 players, and with Tyler Stephenson set to begin the year on the IL, Cincinnati will need to add Austin Wynns to the 40-man roster.

Thankfully, the Reds can then place left-handed pitcher Brandon Williamson on the 60-day IL which will open up a spot for Gibaut. Unless, of course, the Reds are more enamored with left-handed reliever Joe La Sorsa. If that's the case, then we've got a problem — three players with only two openings.

Can the Reds add both Ian Gibaut and Joe La Sorsa?

The Reds could always DFA a player like Yosver Zulueta or Rece Hinds, but both are unlikely to be jettisoned from the 40-man roster just yet. Might the Reds front office be pursuing a trade ahead of Opening Day in order to clear an extra spot for one of Gibaut or La Sorsa?

La Sorsa has minor-league options remaining, meaning Cincinnati could select his contract and send him down to Triple-A Louisville. But Gibaut is out of options. That means that in order to remain part of the Reds organization, he'll need to have his contract selected and remain part of the Reds active roster.

The Reds have some decisions to make, but based on the production this spring, you have to imagine that Cincinnati prefers to keep both Gibaut and La Sorsa in the organization heading into the 2025 season. Nick Krall still has some work to do.

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