The news that so many of you clamored for has arrived:
Reds DFA Blake Wood, option Phillip Ervin. Call up Luke Farrell and Alejandro Chacin
— Zach Buchanan (@ZachENQ) August 23, 2017
After his disastrous outing last night, and a ten day stretch that saw him surrender 14 runs in his last 3.2 innings of relief (a nifty 34.36 ERA, the Reds have designated the 32 year-old Blake Wood for assignment. Wood signed with the Reds before the 2016 season, and he was marginally effective last season, posting a 3.99 ERA in 70 relief appearances (0.6 WAR). This season has seen Wood struggle to find consistency, and he has cratered recently. On the season, Wood is 1-4 with a 5.65 ERA, with a negative -0.7 WAR.
At the same time, outfielder Phillip Ervin was sent back to Louisville. Expect to see Ervin back in a Reds uniform in September, when rosters expand.
These moves were designed to get some relievers to Cincinnati, given the sorry shape of the Reds bullpen. Those relievers are Luke Farrell and Alejandro Chacin. As noted by Trent Rosecrans:
Farrell was claimed off waivers from the Dodgers on Aug. 9. The 26-year-old made his big league debut earlier this year for Kansas City. He allowed five runs in 2 2/3 innings. He made two starts for the Bats, giving up 12 runs in 5 2/3 innings.
Chacin, 24, has appeared in 44 games for the Bats, putting up a 2.60 ERA.
Our friend Doug Gray knows more than I about Chacin and Farrell. Yesterday, he had this really good look (go read it) at Chacin and when/whether he should be placed on the 40-man roster. That’s a moot point now, as the Reds have added him in order to call him up tonight (Cincinnati had an open spot on the 40-man).
Doug also had these comments today (in a post that you should go read in its entirety):
For Alejandro Chacin he needed to be placed on the 40-man roster, which is now at 40 players. The team had an open roster spot, so there is no corresponding 40-man roster move. The 24-year-old right hander has a 2.60 ERA in 69.1 innings this season for Louisville. In that span he has walked 27 batters and struck out 63. However, he’s been even better since the month of June began he’s posted a 0.91 ERA (this is not a typo) in 39.2 innings pitched with just 23 hits allowed, 14 walks and 39 strikeouts. Oh, and he hasn’t allowed a home run in that span, either.
Farrell is what he is: a marginal big leaguer who has exactly what the Reds need most right now. That is, a healthy pitching arm. The Cincinnati bullpen needs arms and they need them now, as recent disasters in the starting rotation have conspired to tax the current occupants of the Reds relief corps.
That step is what they need to do, and continue doing it.
Figure out who can pitch (defined as throwing the ball over the plate but where the pitcher and catcher want it).
Get the injured and lame healed up (COMPLETELY) and figure out which of them can pitch, or still pitch.
Figure out 5 dependable starters and who can be the sixth man when needed.
Figure out the bullpen staff.
Figure out who is like Blake Wood, Jumbo, et cetera and trade them or designate them for assignment (most in this class will generate little interest from other teams).
Send the remainder down for further development but only if they can locate their pitches, or if the coaching staff think they can develop control for those who don’t have it.
You make it sound pretty easy
I didn’t mean to make it sound easy. There is a lot of judgement based on experience needed to do it well.
If I had it all figured out someone would be paying me big bucks to do it. They ain’t.
Farrell is exactly what they need. 12 runs in 5 2/3 innings. Get rid of one bum and call up another. This team is rediculous.
They need to DFA Price. The clueless wonder.
Reds are in tank mode … that can only explain starting Feldman, Adelman, Woj … picking up Farrell, not starting Winker and keeping Price … only thing is it works better in the NBA vs. MLB.
You hit the Reds mode right on.
Winning and sorting are not analogous.
Scary thing is Reds might actually think adding Farrell, playing Hamilton over Winker gives them a better chance to win and not going into tank mode is a better option
So why did the Reds give up on Hoover in the odd year, he would be close to the 2nd best pitcher out of the pen with season he is having- sad to say
To be DFA from the worst pitching staff should mean something, but no worries, Head of Navy’s 7th Fleet is to be relieved of duty too!!!
I’m not convinced that they can at this point but I would rather see them trying than Wojo. Leave him in the bullpen for long relief.