3 unconventional free agent targets to bolster the Reds starting rotation
Sometimes the traditional way of doing business isn't always the right way. Will the Reds take a different approach to free agency this offseason?
There is much chatter throughout Reds Country about adding a starter or two through free agency this offseason. The Cincinnati Reds rotation ranked 28th in ERA last season and several starting pitchers were sidelined due to injury.
While high-dollar free agents like Aaron Nola and Blake Snell are unlikely to land in Cincinnati, some mid-tier free agents like Michael Wacha and Eduardo Rodriguez might be tempted to join the Reds this winter.
However, there are a couple unconventional free agent targets the Reds could consider as well. These players have either made their mark overseas or may not be the traditional starting pitcher that fans are used to seeing.
1. Reds could target Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga
Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto is getting all the attention this offseason, and rightfully so. The right-hander has established himself in Nippon Professional Baseball as the best pitcher in the league, and will likely be in line to land a contract worth more than $200-million this offseason.
While not at the same level as Yamamoto, Shota Imanaga is a very good pitcher in his own right. The left-hander put up very good numbers in the NPB last season for the Yokohama BayStars with back-to-back seasons of an ERA below 3.00.
As good as Yamamoto was, Imanaga actually recorded more strikeouts than his Japanese counterpart. Imagana's 174 punch outs led the NPB and narrowly eclipsed Yamamoto's 169 strikeouts.
The posting system is a bit different than free agency, so the Cincinnati Reds would owe a posting fee to the BayStars if they decided to pursue Shota Imanaga this winter. At 30 years old, Imanaga has valuable experience, albeit all overseas.
After watching New York Mets rookie hurler Kodai Senga dominate the league last season, there's reason to believe that Imanaga could have success states-side as well. Most scouts and experts view Imanaga as a middle-of-the-rotation starter in the majors.
2. Reds could target reliever turned starter Seth Lugo
After years as working as a relief pitcher, Seth Lugo was finally given the opportunity to start in 2023. The right-hander excelled in that role and should undoubtedly be on the Cincinnati Reds' shortlist as the club investigates the free agent market this offseason.
Lugo is unconventional in the fact that, like former Reds pitcher Michael Lorenzen, the veteran is trying to remake himself from a reliever into a starter. While one season does not a career make, Lugo did a terrific job showcasing his talents in 2023.
A former 34th-round pick of the New York Mets, Lugo covered 26 starts for the San Diego Padres last season and posted a very respectable 3.57 ERA. That number is right in line with his ERA from the previous two seasons when Lugo posted a 3.50 ERA (2021) and 3.60 ERA (2022) as a reliever.
Like current Reds starter Graham Ashcraft, Seth Lugo is not going to produce enormous strikeout numbers. Lugo's strikeout-rate, according to Baseball Savant, ranked among the middle of the pack at 23.2-percent. Lugo's 6.0-percent walk-rate, however, was among the best in baseball.
It's estimated that Lugo, according to MLB Trade Rumors, could land a three-year contract in the neighborhoood of $42-million. That $14-million average annual value (AAV) is nothing to sneeze at, but given his consistency throughout his career, Lugo could be a solid addition the Reds rotation.
3. Reds could target former first-round pick Erick Fedde
This is a gamble, to be sure, but it's one that could really pay off for the Cincinnati Reds if it works out. Erick Fedde was the 18th-overall pick of the Washington Nationals in 2014. The UNLV product was expected to be a frontline starter for the Nats, but that never materialized.
In six major league seasons, Fedde went 21-33 with a gaudy 5.41 ERA and 1.523 WHIP. Those poor numbers prompted the right-hander to take his game overseas in an effort to jumpstart his career.
Fedde found success in the Korean Baseball Organization as a member of the starting rotation for the NC Dinos. Fedde went 20-6 over 30 starts and logged over 180 innings of work. The soon-to-be 31-year-old struck out 209 batters while walking just 35.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Erick Fedde is already drawing interest from major league teams. Heyman notes that Fedde won the Choi Dong-won Award, which is the KBO equivalent to the Cy Young Award.
There's certainly risk involved in signing Fedde, as he's proven time and time again that his stuff doesn't play against major league competition. But there are several examples of pitchers who've travelled overseas and straightened things out.
MLB Postseason standout Merrill Kelly spent four seasons in the KBO, and recent Cincinnati Reds hurler Ben Lively also pitched overseas. Snagging a former top prospect who's found success outside the United States is unconventional, but it just might work.