Tony Santillan’s slump just gave the Reds a harsh trade deadline wake-up call

The Cincinnati Reds have relied heavily on Tony Santillan during the first-half of the 2025 season, and rightfully so. The right-hander has been one Terry Francona's most reliable bullpen arms, and the former second-round pick is always willing to take the ball, regardless of the situation.

Of late, however, Santillan has faltered. The hulking right-hander entered the All-Star break on a bit of a skid. During his last six appearance, Santillan has allowed three runs on six hits over 5 ⅓ innings pitched. He has struck out seven batters during that span, but has also walked four.

Santillan's 47 appearances out of the Reds' bullpen this season rank second among all Major League relievers. Only Tyler Rogers of the San Francisco Giants — the brother of Reds reliever Taylor Rogers — has stepped onto the mound more often than Santillan. While Santillan has performed admirably this season, his sluggish performance of late could be a signal that Cincinnati needs to invest in the relief corp before the MLB trade deadline passes at the end of the month.

Tony Santillan’s slump just gave the Reds a harsh trade deadline wake-up call

Reds closer Emilio Pagán has been nails in the backend of the bullpen. The right-hander has locked down 20 of his 23 save opportunities, and more times than not, can be counted on when the game is on the line. But Pagán can't be the only reliable option for Francona late in games. Santillan's recent slump and Graham Ashcraft's inconsistency may leave Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall no choice but to find some bullpen reinforcements before July 31.

The Reds have already been linked to the Minnesota Twins in trade rumors, and it sounds as if both Jhoan Durán and Griffin Jax are on the block. Twins right-hander Danny Coulombe could be traded before the deadline as well.

Minnesota, however, won't be the only seller at this year's trade deadline. Pitchers like Jake Bird (Colorado Rockies), Jakob Junis (Cleveland Guardians), and Félix Bautista (Baltimore Orioles) should be on the Reds' radar.

While many Reds fans are hopeful to see Krall and Co. target some upgrades for the lineup, the bullpen may be the team's greatest area of need over the second-half of the 2025 season. Cincinnati has some roster flexibility as well due to the fact that Ashcraft, Sam Moll, and Lyon Richardson all have minor-league options remaining. Any of those three pitchers could be sent down to Triple-A in order to add a veteran arm to the bullpen.

While the All-Star break could help to provide adequate rest for Santillan and the rest of the Reds' relief corps, that shouldn't stop Cincinnati's front office from pursuing an additional bullpen arm or two ahead of the MLB trade deadline.

More Cincinnati Reds News and Rumors