What will the Cincinnati Reds bullpen look like with no additional signings?

The odds are good that the Cincinnati Reds will make, at the very least, some minor league additions to the bullpen after the MLB lockout concludes. But if they don't, what might Cincinnati's relief corps look like?

The Reds have already lost right-hander Michael Lorenzen to the Los Angeles Angels, and it's highly likely that Mychal Givens will not return to Cincinnati. Tejay Antone will also be shelved for the 2022 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last summer.

What might the Reds bullpen look like without any additional signings?

Fortunately, Nick Krall made added some at last year's trade deadline. Both Luis Cessa and Justin Wilson will be back in a Cincinnati Reds uniform next season. Cessa is eligible for arbitration once the MLB concludes, and Wilson is under contract for $2.3M next season.

Lucas Sims will be eligible for arbitration for the first time this offseason. After being one of the team's stalwart performers out of the bullpen last season, Sims may be the leading candidate to get the ball in the ninth inning when the Reds are ahead on the scoreboard.

Amir Garrett, a bit surprisingly I might add, remained with the Reds after the non-tender deadline. Garrett struggled mightily in 2021, but it appears as though Cincinnati's front office is hoping that AG can be counted on once again.

Art Warren, an Ohio native, was quite the surprise last season for the Redlegs. Cincy acquired Warren from the Seattle Mariners prior to the season, and the right-hander was quite dominant on the mound in 2021. Warren posted a 41.5% strikeout-rate and 1.29 ERA.

Finally, you have to believe that Tony Santillan will be part of the 2022 Reds bullpen. Santillan, after trying his hand as a starter early on last season, became a reliable weapon out of the Cincinnati bullpen. As a reliever, Santillan put up a 2.36 ERA and 36 punch outs over 26.2 innings of work.

Who will fill out the final 2 spots in the Reds bullpen?

Those six pitchers, if healthy, are virtual locks to be part of next year's Cincinnati Reds bullpen. But the Redlegs will still need at least two more hurlers to fill out the relief corps. So, of those players currently in the organization, who'll find their way into a relief role next season?

Jeff Hoffman, who the Reds traded for prior to last season, has to be in the conversation. Entering arbitration for the first time this winter, Hoffman is unlikely to take home a hefty salary in 2022, and that fits right in with the franchise's plans for next season.

The Reds added Daniel Duarte to the 40-man roster prior to the MLB lockout, and I think there's a real chance the right-hander makes an impression this spring. Duarte posted a 31.2% strikeout-rate in 2021, but his 4.15 ERA leaves a little bit to the imagination.

Don't sleep on pitchers like Duari Moreta, Riley O'Brien, or Ryan Hendrix either. There's also the possibility of Reiver Sanmartin beginning next season as a reliever if he can't find a way to secure a spot in the starting rotation