There is no reason for this free agent disappointment to still be on the Reds roster

We haven't reached Memorial Day yet, but it's painfully obvious that Scott Barlow has no business being part the Cincinnati Reds roster. The former Kansas City Royals closer signed a major-league deal this winter, agreeing to a one-year, $2.5 million contract, but it's already time for the Reds to jettison the right-hander in favor of another reliever.

Barlow is the "mop-up guy" at this point. He's rarely, if ever, called upon when the Reds have a lead — even if it's a gigantic one — and far too often can't get out of an inning without allowing at least one player from the opposing team to reach base safely.

Since the calendar flipped to May, Barlow has only faced the minimum once and his ERA during those six appearances is an unsightly 7.71 with a 6.33 FIP. He's also walked twice as many batters (6) during that timeframe than he's struck out (3).

There is no reason for Scott Barlow to still be on the Reds roster

It's not as if the Reds don't have better options at Triple-A Louisville. Reiver Sanmartin, a pitcher most Reds fans probably forgot about, is having a heckuva season for the Louisville Bats. The lefty owns a sparkling 1.88 ERA in 12 appearances this season.

While his strikeout numbers aren't good, Sanmartin — a former starter — could provide Reds manager Terry Francona with some added length out of the bullpen. The southpaw also has minor-league options remaining, something that could be incredibly valuable for the team as they attempt to shuttle relievers back and forth in an effort to keep the bullpen fresh throughout the season.

Of course, there's always Alexis Diaz. The right-hander struck out the side in his latest outing for Triple-A Louisville over the weekend. It's likely, however, that the Reds' brass would prefer to keep the former All-Star in Triple-A for a few more weeks as he attempts to regain his confidence after a brutal start to the 2025 season.

The Reds also have flamethrower Zach Maxwell down on the farm and Ian Gibaut just began a rehab assignment this past weekend. Either one of those right-handers would be an upgrade over Barlow given his struggles this season.

The Reds are unlikely to send Barlow packing just yet. But a couple more outings like the two he had over the weekend in Houston could push Barlow out the door. The veteran faced a total of 10 batters over 1 ⅓ innings pitched and allowed two runs on three hits while walking a pair. Barlow is walking nearly 18% of batters he's faced this season. Diaz was optioned to Triple-A for less than that, and it could easily be Barlow's undoing.

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