The Cincinnati Reds have announced that right-handed reliever Tony Santillan is back from his rehab assignment. Santillan had his 2022 season cut short with a stress fracture in his back. The injury led to him missing some of the first half and all of the second half of the season. Recovery from the injury led to his not being ready to begin spring training on time. Things were further delayed when he began to feel some discomfort in his knee. The knee is once again causing issues, so Santillan’s time in Triple-A with the Louisville Bats has been cut short.
The Reds sent Tony Santillan on rehab on April 4th. He joined Louisville at home and he threw a hitless inning with a walk and two strikeouts in his first outing against Indianapolis, but only half of his pitches went for strikes on that night. Three nights later things went a lot better as he fired a perfect inning and needed just 11 pitches to do so while picking up a strikeout.
It would be another four days before the reliever would take the mound for Louisville. On the road on Tuesday night in Toledo, Santillan struggled. He was unable to get out of the inning he was scheduled to work, giving up three runs on two hits and a walk in 02. innings. He had a strikeout and he gave up a home run before exiting the game. One of the runs he was charged with crossed the plate after he had exited the game. Like his first outing, he struggled to throw strikes – 12 of his 22 pitches thrown were strikes.
During his time on rehab the slowest his fastball showed was 95.0 MPH. He topped out at 97.8 MPH several times. Five of his six fastest pitches came in his last outing while pitching in Toledo. The knee may have been causing some control issues, but it seems like the velocity was just fine.
For now, Santillan will get a break and allow his knee to recover. When he goes back out on a rehab assignment he will get a fresh start on his rehab allotment of 30 days before he would have to rejoin the active roster or be optioned.
There goes my choice, for now, the 6th or 7th inning guy. Wish him speedy good health. The Reds aren’t exactly having great success bringing these injured pitchers back so far this year.
Unfortunately, not necessarily unexpected. Back injuries are tough. Hopefully, he recovers quickly.
But it says knee.
It does but between his weight and compensating behaviors for the back can lead to other problems
Wonder if his weight gain has anything to do with this?
Hasn’t helped. That’s for sure.
My thought too. Sorry to hear this news but not surprised after seeing how big he looked on the mound the other night then checked the Louisville website and saw he was listed at 285Lbs on a 6′ 2″ or 3″ frame.
285Lbs is way too much.
Yikes. That’s massive.
He needs to drop about 30 pounds, at least.
Ought oh. Even Sadak agrees with many that Fraley is the every day outfielder. Larkin agrees too. Besides, Bell can always pinch hit for him in the 9th inning with Newman. lol