The Reds announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Kevin Herget, with fellow righty Michael Mariot designated for assignment in a corresponding move.
The Reds were already dealing with a number of significant injuries to their pitching staff this year and that problem has been compounded as COVID-19 has spread around the staff. Each of Hunter Greene, Ben Lively, Brandon Williamson and Fernando Cruz landed on the COVID-related IL in recent days, while pitchers like Nick Lodolo, Justin Dunn and many others were already out of action due to more typical injuries.
That’s led to the club churning pitchers through their roster on an almost daily basis as they try to scramble to cover for those absences. Mariot, 34, was just selected to the roster yesterday and tossed 2 2/3 innings, allowing just one earned run. He was one of seven pitchers the club used as they managed to turn a bullpen day into a 6-3 victory over the Mariners. But as the club continues to require fresh arms, he’s unfortunately been nudged off the roster.
That was Mariot’s first appearance in the big leagues since 2016. He spent most of the intervening time on minor league deals but also spent some time in the Mexican League and Chinese Professional Baseball in Taiwan. He started this year with the Cleburne Railroaders of the independent American Association of Professional Baseball, with a 5.06 ERA for that club but with 29 strikeouts and just five walks in 26 2/3 innings.
That performance got him a minor league deal with the Reds and he threw 37 2/3 Triple-A innings over nine appearances with a 6.93 ERA and 14.3% strikeout rate. He was selected to the roster earlier this year but was designated for assignment without getting into a game. He cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment, which led to yesterday’s return to a big league mound for the first time in seven years. He’ll be placed on waivers again in the coming days.
His roster spot will go to Herget. The 32-year-old signed a minor league deal with the Reds in the offseason and was selected in early April. He served as an up-and-down reliever for the first half of the season, posting a 5.73 ERA in 22 big league innings. He was designated for assignment in June before clearing waivers and accepting an outright assignment. He has an ERA of 5.01 at Triple-A on the whole this year, but has been better since losing his roster spot. He has a 2.51 ERA over his last 28 2/3 innings, with a 25.7% strikeout rate and 7.3% walk rate in that time. He still has a full slate of options and less than a year of service time, meaning the Reds could potentially use him as a depth option for the foreseeable future.
Of course they did.
This is the biggest mess of a pitching staff I’ve ever seen on a contending club. LOL
Man the reds are still in the playoff race. Just imagine if they had you as the GM!
I saw Mariot pitch yesterday. He looked good. I hope he stays in the Reds’ organization.
The biggest mess is Bell and Krall, they’re playing the DFA roulette game. Mariot deserves to be in the bullpen, they sent with Sinai and they lost him to the Cardinals. They sent Kennedy down the other day after pitching great from the pen. He should’ve have been a starter. I don’t know what’s around with Bell and Krall but I hope come the offseason Mr Castellini gives them their pinking slips but first he needs to void Bells 3 year extension.
Maybe you should look at all the Reds pitchers on the 7 day COVID IL and you’d realize why roster juggling with pitchers is necessary right now.
Lost 3 starters, one key reliever – Ashcraft (toe), Greene, Williamson, and Cruz.
Bell can only deal with what they give him, and that hasn’t been much in the pitching department.
To be fair, Siani would have been dropped from the 40 this winter anyway. They have too many youngsters to protect.
Reds have beat a very good Seattle team twice in a row. First game Reds started Carson Speirs, last night Connor Phillips. That was the first ML start for both those guys. If Reds (with Lyon Richardson as sp) win tonight: I believe Nick Krall is a shoe-in for GM of the year. If Castellini was foolish enough to give Krall his “pinking slip”???, Krall would have a MLGM job as soon as he wanted one.
Not if they wanted to acquire major league experienced talent.
They won those games in spite of him, not because of him.
Is don’t understand why Reds management failed to make any pitching moves at the trade deadline? Then recently signed two OF’s rather than signing some much needed bullpen help?
I think you mean they claimed Renfroe and Bader off waivers?
I’m sure they would have loved to get those pitchers on waivers from the Angels..but the Guardian Angels snatched them away.
Probably a good thing for Cincy.
Did you see Giolito’s line last night?
Woof. Looks like the Big A curse is contagious and spread to Cleveland.
Trust me, you don’t want this..
Yeah what about Michael Lorenzen
Cut a deal with the spirits and obliged by getting “hurt” last year assuring not much winning performance for the Angels..
Ashcraft is also on the IL because of a toe injury. He had been their best pitcher over the past couple of months.
Ashcraft has looked like a #1 or #2 for the better part of the season. They need to extend him. Despite his midseason low he is top 20 in MLB in quality starts and has the same QS’s as Luis Castillo and 1 more than Sonny Gray.