3. Tony Santillan may have played his way out of the Reds' 2024 plans.
So where in the world is Tony Santillan? After landing on the IL for the last several months of the 2022 season, Santillan looked ready to return to action this season. But the numbers reveal something very different.
Santillan made an appearance with the big league club earlier this year. The right-hander appeared in three games, allowing one run on four hits while striking out one. But the key takeaway from Santillan's brief time with the Reds this season was his command. The walked five batters in 3.1 innings of work.
If there's one thing a reliever cannot do, it's put a free runner on base. Not only did Santillan do that during his three-game stint with the Cincinnati Reds, but he's been doing so repeatedly at Triple-A Louisville. According to FanGraphs, Santillan owns a walk-rate of 18.2-percent with the Louisville Bats this season.
As a former second-round pick, one would assume that the Reds' brass might be a bit more patient with a pitcher like Santillan who's returning from injury. But the right-hander has made 21 minor league appearances, and since August, Santillan has eight walks in four innings along with three wild pitches and a hit batsman.
Tony Santillan proved a couple years ago, after failing as a starter, that the bullpen would be his home. Right now, even that's in question. The Cincinnati Reds will need to add a few players to the 40-man roster over the winter. Will Santillan be around in 2024?