This Reds reliever could force Cincinnati to rethink Tony Santillan's role in 2026

The closer's job has been anything but stable in Cincinnati this season. Alexis Diaz primarily held down that role from 2022-24, accumulating 75 saves for the Cincinnati Reds, but his struggles led to an eventual trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Diaz has since been DFA'd and was recently picked up by the Atlanta Braves.

Diaz's departure pushed Emilio Pagán into the primary ninth-inning role, and the 34-year-old has been solid ever since. Pagán has locked down 27 saves in 33 opportunities, logging a 3.32 ERA in 60⅔ innings of work.

Pagán's due to become a free agent this offseason, however, and his age and success as a closer will likely push him out of the Reds' comfort zone. Assuming Pagán leaves, that leaves Tony Santillan as the obvious option to step into the closer's job, and his performance this year certainly suggests that he's is ready for that kind of responsibility. The emergence of Connor Phillips, however, might preclude Santillan from ever getting a chance to take over the ninth inning.

Connor Phillips could usurp Tony Santillan as Reds' closer of the future

Originally acquired as a player to be named later in the Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez trade with the Seattle Mariners in 2022, Phillips was a consensus top-100 prospect prior to the 2024 season following a strong 2023 campaign split between Double-A and Triple-A.

Unfortunately, he struggled terribly in Triple-A as a starter, prompting the Reds to push him to the bullpen. That seems to have worked, with the 24-year-old posting a 2.84 ERA in 38 innings in the minor leagues this season. Phillips has been yo-yo'd between Triple-A and the majors this season, but since being recalled for good in mid-August, Phillips is starting to live up to his old prospect hype.

In this most recent tenure with the big-league team, Phillips has covered 12 innings across 10 appearances, allowing just three earned runs (2.45 ERA) while striking out 15 batters. His average fastball velocity now tops 98 mph, and he's generating whiffs 32.% of the time. Those are the numbers of an elite closer, and both are a very solid improve over what Santillan brings to the table.

Of course, Phillips must prove capable of handling the pressure that comes with being a closer. If his raw stuff is any indication, however, the Reds' closer of the future may already be on the roster, biding his time to usurp Santillan.

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