The Cincinnati Reds announced this afternoon that they had optioned Tony Santillan to Triple-A Louisville and recalled right-handed pitcher Ashton Goudeau from Triple-A Louisville.
After pitching last night, Tony Santillan would not have been available to pitch for several days. Even if the team wanted to put him in the bullpen to see if he could help out a struggling relief crew, the bullpen would have been short-handed after seven different relievers were used last night against San Diego. Calling up Ashton Goudeau gives the Reds a fresh arm to go to if needed.
The results were a bit mixed for Tony Santillan in his four starts. Overall he posted a 3.78 ERA in 16.2 innings where he allowed 18 hits and 10 walks, hitting another three batters, and picking up 20 strikeouts. He limited the runs scored while he was on the mound. But he also made two starts where he didn’t pitch into the 4th inning and another one where he didn’t get out of the 5th. Santillan worked out of plenty of trouble, as seen by his ERA compared to his 1.68 WHIP.
As for Ashton Goudeau, it’s possible that his time could be limited in this go-around with the Reds bullpen. He’s thrown 9.0 innings with a 4.00 ERA, but with nine walks and just five strikeouts. Sonny Gray returns to the team on Friday and Cincinnati will need to make a roster move to get him back onto the 26-man roster. Who knows what will happen between now and then, but it seems likely that if everyone remains healthy that Goudeau is in Cincinnati for a few days as a guy who can pitch if needed until Gray returns.
The team will have another roster move to make here soon, too. Jeff Hoffman will make one more rehab start with the Louisville Bats this weekend before returning to Cincinnati. He’s been pitching in Louisville as a starter, but his role when he returns hasn’t been stated by the Reds.
I thought Tony did fine, although he’s not the finished product yet.
I hope he takes what he learned in the big leagues and continues to refine his approach in Louisville. He’s got the stuff to pitch in MLB, now he just needs the right approach/mindset. Maybe hitters chase his stuff in AAA, but big leaguers aren’t fooled. He needs to adjust his approach to rely less on getting hitters to chase and more on getting strikes with his stuff. He also needs to develop a more reliable “out pitch”.
Just needs a little more time in the oven. He’ll be back.
Tend to agree. His slider was his best pitch; he simply doesn’t command his fastball and especially his change well enough to succeed for long vs ML hitters. He does battle though which is nice to see
At some point later this year for the Bats, the starting rotation will be Greene, Lodolo, Santillan, Sanmartin and Ashcraft.
I think we are going to see a weeks worth of reliever musical chairs
Not gonna lie, I didn’t love what I saw from Santillan. I’m afraid he’s got a lot of work to do if he’s gonna make it.
He’s going to need more than two pitches to remain a starter cause neither is elite. He’s competes his tail off though, so he’s got a chance.
but according to him he has three…. two (Curve, slider) that supposedly look the same, same action, same speed. /s
They should bring him back in a few days once his arm is rested and put him in the pen. No way he is worse than Goudeau
gotta wait 10 days unless there is an injury at the MLB level
Why the 10 day wait?
If you get sent down, you can’t be brought up again for 10 days, unless an injury occurs.
They’ve moved the minimum time for a pitcher to be on the IL back to 15 days; and, along with that I believe that it now also the minimum time an optioned pitcher must stay in the minors except in cases due to a recall based on injury to another player already on the 26 man roster then moved to the IL.
Recall the public explanation the Reds gave back in mid June for playing a couple of games with only 25 active players. They said that when the spot opened, they were only a couple of days away from activating a specific player (Sonny Gray) from the IL; and, if they immediately filled the opening with another pitcher then sent that guy down when Gray was activated then they would have to leave that other guy down for 15 days.
The pitcher not called up for the short stint was almost certainly Cionel Perez; and, he was in fact called back up within the 15 day period he would have been blocked if brought up for 2 days then sent back down.
Why is Nick Howard not called up?
2.04 era, 6 saves, 26/6 k/bb in 17.2 innings with 1.08 WHIP and 2.39 gb/fb ratio.
every stat line I see that becomes a better and better question. Maybe he is fooling AA players with stuff that does fool a AA player but wouldn’t fool a major leaguer. Maybe they tried him in a position other than closer and he stank. But I am sure they are having their scouts take a look-see.
Presently, the Reds bullpen is loaded with relievers that are not fooling major league hitters, so there is nothing to lose. Why not see what he can do?
Been wondering the same. Probably at least in part because he is not on the 40 man roster and they are not sure enough about him to risk losing someone else just to see what he does at MLB.
Dauri Moreta as well
I didn’t like he was called up because I felt he wasn’t ready for major league bc he only.has the fastball finisher and pitches to much and high. Everyone was comment for months it’s time to see tony in big league. It’s funny now some of those comments wanted him in our rotation now they think it’s a good move he got sent back down.
Some fans you won’t ever be able satisfied with their teams no matter what team or how well they do. I am glad he got sent down to learn more pitches techniques. I am looking for Lopez shine and tho Suarez defense helps but time for him traded
Alaniz also 2.01 ERA 30/6 K/BB in 22.1 IP in AAA
Santillian has better statistics that whatever the other is named. Gondeuau? Godieau? I dont know. But why not put Santillan in the bullpen and put Hoffman in Santillan spot? Goudeau played trashy his last outing and Alaniz is good. Is there a certain strategy to bring up a bad reliever and send down a possible good one?
Goudeau Has been an off and on starter in the minor leagues. I suspect what they see in him a capability to go several innings in a stint, the new Sal Romano if you will.
Mark Shelton quoted Bell as saying that Hoffman was coming back as a starter. That was last week.
Either you are misunderstanding what was said, or Mark misunderstood what was said. Bell said that Hoffman was going to be on rehab as a starter. He did not at all specify what he would return as.
I see this.. if Hoffman is going to the BP in his return so that means Gutierrez would continue as starter ,isn’t it? Is a good idea to keep Gutierrez in the rotation so Hoffman helps the BP ? Or they could move Vlad to the BP instead and let Hoffman starts games?
I certainly hope you are right. I could have misunderstood it but I reread that part of the article several times to make sure, it certainly seemed that was what Bell was saying.
FWIW (or not) I agree 100% with Doug’s take. That is how it played out on Twitter but I did not read Sheldon’s full article.
I actually listened to the entire interview. That stuff really does make a difference than when you get chopped up pieces of quotes without the full questions.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Hoffman comes back as a starter, particularly given Gutierrez’ last start (though I’d still keep him in the rotation over Hoffman) – but Bell said he was going to rehab as a starting pitcher. Someone else was listening to that and inferring that it meant he was going to return as a starting pitcher.
It’s important to note that with both Michael Lorenzen and Tejay Antone, David Bell has been specific with the role in which they would return in. In the spring he noted Lorenzen would return as a starter and that Antone would go to the bullpen because he didn’t have enough time to return as a starter. Of course that changed with Lorenzen because they initially thought he’d only miss a few weeks and not a few months. For the last month he’s been clear that Lorenzen was coming back to return to the bullpen.
That information on Jeff Hoffman was not specified. I think that’s quite important.
Santillan worked out of plenty of trouble, as seen by his ERA compared to his 1.68 WHIP.
Santillan is a battler, but; it seemed the clock was striking midnight on him as a MLB starter at least for now. On Tuesday his seasonal WHIP went up from 1.46 to 1.68 while his LOB% dropped from 95.7% to 85.8% which was double trouble.
If Santillan can pump his fastball up the typical 2-3MPH guys do when moving from starting to relief, keep it out of the middle of the zone and avoid walks, he could be a very effective reliever.
Oops. Forgot to turn off the italics after the opening sentence quote. Sorry.
I’m glad to see Santillan get the opportunity and not get completely blown up. It should highlight what he needs to work on without completely demoralizing him. Decent debut that hopefully leads to something better.