THURSDAY: The Reds have agreed to a minor-league deal with Arroyo, per MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon (via Twitter). He has already passed his physical with the organization, though he still needs to formally sign his contract before it’ll be official.
MONDAY: It emerged recently that the Reds had taken a look at former rotation stalwart Bronson Arroyo. Though the level of the team’s interest wasn’t clear at the time, it seems now that the organization saw some promise in the veteran righty’s workout. Indeed, Cincinnati has engaged Arroyo in contract talks that appear likely to result in a deal, according to a report from Chris Cotillo of SB Nation reporting (on Twitter).
Cincinnati has made clear that it isn’t interested in handing out any more major-league deals this winter, so any arrangement with Arroyo would be of the minor-league variety. That’s unsurprising, as Arroyo is less than a month away from his fortieth birthday and over two-and-a-half years removed from his last MLB appearance.
In his most recent work in the bigs, Arroyo provided the Diamondbacks with 86 innings of 4.08 ERA pitching. He landed in Arizona on a two-year deal after an eight-year run with the Reds. Arroyo not only revived his career in Cincy, but established himself as a tireless workhorse who could be relied upon for solid innings even in his mid-thirties.
All told, Arroyo spun 1,690 1/3 frames of 4.05 ERA ball with the Reds. While the results were rarely spectacular, that 211-inning-per-year average was plenty valuable. Though he never threw harder than the upper eighties, compiling just 5.9 K/9 against 2.3 BB/9, Arroyo managed to suppress batting averages on balls in play with his crafty pitch mix.
That track record led the D-Backs to promise Arroyo $23.5MM in free agency. Unfortunately, he rather promptly broke down and hasn’t returned to the majors since. Tommy John surgery kept him out for 2015. Though he returned to join the Nationals in spring camp in 2016, his return bid was thwarted by a torn tendon in his rotator cuff. While it seemed at one point as if Arroyo might not have another comeback bid in him, it seems he’ll give it another try.
still got my arroyo hat with long hair attached to it. I would definitely go to his first start with it if he made it back up.
My all-time favorite Dodgers player.
Mine too.
What about Manny?
I think this is a very bad idea and I hope it doesn’t work out. It’ll be just like when Alfredo Simon came back, and I think we all know how that turned out!
So it’s guaranteed that it will be just like Alfredo Simon.. so there the same exact player… think before you speak dude.. I’m not saying it’s going to work out.. but he’s an entirely different pitcher.. he’s pitched at lengths Simon has never touched, he was an all-star caliber pitcher for a few years and had multiple solid years after that… Simon was a one hit wonder.. he literally had one good year and he didn’t even pitch in the rotation all year long that year.. it took him being in the bullpen for atleast a few months to show he was worth the rotation that year.. that was it! After that he was always a suspect on the mound… arroyo’s scenario is absolutely nothing like Simons. Now arroyo might fail, but if you were reading this article it states.. the reds are looking at him at a minor league role.. meaning if he doesn’t do well there, he most certainly won’t go past the minors… read.. think.. before you speak.
Good comment, except the successful year as a starter Simon had, he was a starter the whole year.
Prob for the minimum or slightyly above it and simon was for significantly more money than that. When they are in the position they’re in they need to take a shot at someone like arroyo.
Still holding out hope he ends his career where it started… Boston.
It actually started in Pittsburgh.
Check again
Yawn
Please stop yawning, I’m trying to sleep.
“Maybe if we sign enough guys from our last playoff team we will make the playoffs again!”
– Reds FO
Sooo….1? To a minor league deal?
Bronson deserves another Spring Training.
If only to watch how he interacts with the young pitchers. If he shows some solid mentoring ability, then it would be nice to find a way to have him in our dugout.
I remember reading that Arroyo was doing some mentoring/coaching with the younger SP in 2012, especially regarding conditioning.
“Former righty”? So he’s a lefty now?
Yeah, I don’t know. Fixed.
Reds owner Bob Castellini said Saturday he hopes the team signs Arroyo, but would leave it up to GM Dick Williams, who indicated if the boss wanted Arroyo, the Reds would sign him.
Poor Reds fans.
All 12 of them.
Please sign him so when we play the reds it will be batting practice
This Red Sox fan is wishing him the best!
PLEASE REDS, DO NOT SIGN HIM. I enjoyed his ptching for us, but the Innings have to go to the younger group.
EXACTLY
Right. Homer Bailey has to get his work in!
Bailey has to get innings to prove he’s healthy, it’s the only way the Reds can trade him in July.
Homer Bailey is the very definition of a “million dollar arm, and a ten cent head”.
They should bring back jose rijo and tom Browning that would be sick.
Nah, I was thinking more like Eastwick and McEnaney.
At the very least he’ll be a wonderful addition to the clubhouse and great influence of work ethic for all of our young pitchers. If any guy could come back and pitch successfully again it would be Arroyo! Good sign here by the Reds if it comes to fruition! Go Reds!
Maybe they can bring back Larkin too. Sheesh
I want to see Joe Morgan back at 2nd!
If the Reds had a veteran pitching staff, I would not see the need in bringing him back. However, with such a young inexperienced staff, I believe his leadership would be invaluable. He can show them how to prepare and pitch at the big league level. Proper mentors play a vital role in development. I hope he makes it! If he doesn’t make it out of spring training, maybe he can join the coaching staff at one of the minor league levels.
Bronson Arroyo makes for a weird situation where Reds fans are both worried that he’ll win a rotation spot and throw 200 innings that should go to prospects, and skeptical that his arm will hold together just to get him through spring training.
If Arroyo gets through spring training healthy and pitches well then the Reds can cross that bridge when they come to it. It’s better to have too much depth, too many options, than too little. We saw what it looks like to have too little depth last year, when they had 5 intended starters on the DL at once, and were left scrambling for AAA depth pitchers to start major league games.
I’m happy the Reds are giving Arroyo this opportunity, although the outcome is unclear.
If he can throw 200 innings – and that’s highly improbable– he won’t steal from youngsters. He’ll give them time to develop and he’ll provide a great example and mentoring. And he’d give the bullpen a break every five days. If he could regain his form, that would be a miracle.
200 innings? That would be comeback player of the year!
It’s funny to see someone say “highly improbable” as something against Arroyo. As a guy who maxes out around 90 and works in the mid 80s, he’s made a whole long career of beating the odds.
What are the odds such a guy reaches the majors? What are the odds anyone throws 200+ innings 6 years in a row? Odds on throwing 199+ innings 9 years in a row? The odds a pitcher wins 145 MLB games? The odds that his high leg kick could lead to success (would anyone teach their kid to throw like him???)? What are the odds in becoming a successful pitcher at Great American Ballpark? What are the odds of a soft tossing pitcher signing a $23m contract at age 37, like he did?
A year or so ago there was that reported diagnosis of some severe career ending shoulder injury, lots of articles were written about his career, asking him for interviews and stuff about what he planned on doing next. But, a few days later, apparently it was a mistaken diagnosis, and rather than career ending it’d take a few months of rehab. Again, seemingly beating the odds.
Now he’s 40, and his successful return to MLB is improbable. But has the improbable ever, in his whole career, held back Arroyo before? Like, there are odds that seemingly apply to all MLB players, then there’s a separate set of odds that seem to apply to Bronson Arroyo…
If you haven’t heard it, Bronson’s CD of 1990’s grunge covers is actually pretty good! Check it out!
Great signing. Even if he doesn’t throw a pitch in the bigs, the advice he is will give to Robert Stephenson, Cody Reed, Amir Garrett and Brandon Finnegan, about how to go deep into ball games is plenty worth having him spend Spring Training with the Reds
Iceman35. Reds fans are loyal and back outmr team. The 12 u mentioned as the only fans indicates the area of your IQ!
I’ve lived in Cincinnati for 20 years as an outside observer. Beyond opening day, the loyalty and backing you speak of exist on a vey limited basis.
There were several years where they were in first place, and could not sell out weekend series games. I challenge you to call that loyal.