Reds reliever Ian Gibaut underwent an anterior interosseous nerve (AIN) release procedure this week, manager David Bell tells Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer (X link). An exact timetable for his return to the mound isn’t clear, with Bell only indicating that the hope is for Gibaut to return at some point this season.
Bell had already stated earlier in the week that Gibaut would require surgery, but the specifics wouldn’t be known until surgeons could examine the state of his hand/forearm during the course of the procedure. A standard carpal tunnel release procedure was one possibility and would’ve come with a shorter recovery period, but doctors determined while performing the operation that the AIN release was necessary.
Gibaut, 30, opened the season on the injured list with what was originally termed a forearm strain. He pitched six minor league rehab innings but walked six of his 32 opponents and plunked another pair en route to allowing five runs. That made clear that something still wasn’t right in Gibaut’s right arm, and it’s now natural to think the nerve issue led to both the forearm discomfort and the shaky command in his brief minor league stint.
As recently as last season, Gibaut emerged as a key bullpen piece for Bell. The right-hander led all Cincinnati relievers with 75 2/3 innings pitched and increasingly found himself in high-leverage spots as the season wore on. He notched a tidy 3.33 ERA, picked up 22 holds and three saves, and fanned 21.7% of his opponents against an 8.8% walk rate. As a journeyman reliever whom the Reds picked up via a waiver claim from the Guardians, Gibaut proved to be a nice under-the-radar find for the Cincinnati front office.
Gibaut was already transferred to the 60-day injured list earlier this week. He’ll continue to accrue big league service time and pay while rehabbing the injury. He’ll be arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter. The Reds can control him via arbitration through the 2027 season.
Sounds painful
An apparent causality of the overuse of the bullpen last year. Who will it be this year?
See you next year, Ian, if you can make it back. Sounds like not a routine procedure. Rooting for you.
Alex Young hasn’t made it back yet and Buck Farmer’s velocity is way down. That bullpen was definitely overworked last year.
As Monty Python used to say” And now for something completely different”.
I feel kinda sorry for the guy. They pitched the hell out of him last year; seemed like every time I put on a Reds game he was on the hill or loosening up in the pen. Not surprised he went down. I’m glad he’s at least getting major league pay
Surprised this isn’t more common in pitchers
I thought this was some weird procedure the Reds used to release him lol.
Sorry son, but the Artificial Intelligence Network recommended we release you.
It’s not unique to the Reds with all the hurlers injuries it’s across the mlb boards. My guess is that modern medicine has advanced to recognize all the ailments that plagues the arm . We are now diagnosing injuries we didn’t understand 40 years ago when our best advice was “rub some dirt on it”. We are seeing an abundance of caution with these million dollar arms which is understandable.