Reds' Tony Santillan: Charged with blown save Wednesday
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Santillan blew the save after giving up one run on one hit and no walks in 1.1 innings during Wednesday's 8-6 extra-inning loss to the Giants.
After recording two outs to close the seventh inning, Santillan served up a first-pitch fastball for a game-tying solo home run to Wilmer Flores. Santillan is working alongside Emilio Pagan for save opportunities in the absence of Alexis Diaz (hamstring), and the former has logged three holds while converting one of his two save chances to open the campaign. That said, Santillan does boast a 1.23 ERA and 0.68 WHIP with seven punchouts across 7.1 innings, and he should remain in the mix for ninth-inning work until Diaz rejoins the team.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Logs first save
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Santillan retired the lone batter faced over a third of an inning to pick up the save in Monday's 2-0 win over the Giants.
Hunter Greene attempted to finish what he started but allowed a two-out single and walk, which prompted manager Terry Francona to send in the cavalry. On this night, that was Santillan, who got Heliot Ramos to line out on a 3-1 four-seamer. The save was Santillan's first of the season and first since 2022. He's the third Reds reliever to log a ninth-inning save opportunity, as Francona does not appear to have a go-to guy since Alexis Diaz (hamstring) was removed from the role amid command issues this spring. Diaz is expected to make at least two more appearances while on rehab at Triple-A Louisville but is not guaranteed to get the closer's job back.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Serving in fireman role
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Reds manager Terry Francona indicated recently that he prefers to use Santillan "when we need to put the fire out" earlier in games, Charlie Goldsmith of the Dayton Daily News reports.
Santillan pitched a scoreless eighth inning on Opening Day versus the Giants and a scoreless seventh inning Saturday, protecting a one-run lead on both occasions. While the 27-year-old looks to be Francona's most trusted reliever right now, Santillan looks like a better bet for holds than saves. Emilio Pagan appears to be the top closer option while Alexis Diaz (hamstring) is shelved.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Nabs second hold
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Santillan pitched the seventh inning Saturday to get his second hold in as many games. Emilio Pagan later got the save.
Santillan was brilliant Thursday in getting his first hold, striking out two batters. In this outing he gave up a single and didn't strike any batters out, but got out of the inning by inducing a double-play grounder. He's in the mix for saves with Alexis Diaz (hamstring) sidelined, but Emilio Pagan may be the top fill-in option after securing the save Saturday.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Mentioned as possible closer option
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Reds manager Terry Francona said Wednesday that while Santillan is an "easy choice" to be the closer, "he might be too valuable getting to the ninth," Charlie Goldsmith of the Dayton Daily News reports.
While Francona admitted he's not sure who his closer will be while Alexis Diaz (hamstring) is sidelined, it's notable that he mentioned Santillan in the fashion that he did, suggesting the right-hander might be the favorite to see the first opportunity. Santillan began last season in the minors after re-signing with the Reds last offseason on a minor-league deal, but he was excellent with the big club after being called up, posting a 3.00 ERA and 46:9 K:BB over 30 innings. Taylor Rogers, Scott Barlow, Graham Ashcraft and Emilio Pagan are other candidates to see save chances with the Reds.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Called up from minors
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Cincinnati selected Santillan's contract from Triple-A Louisville on Saturday.
The Reds placed starter Carson Spiers (shoulder) on the injured list Saturday and called up Santillan to take Spiers' roster spot, opting to add a reliever with the All-Star break looming. Santillan has logged a 3.38 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 53:24 K:BB over 40.0 innings in the minors this season. He got into three games with the Reds last year, allowing one run on four hits while posting a 5:1 K:BB over 3.1 frames. He'll like serve in a low-leverage role while with the big-league club.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Reassigned to minor-league camp
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The Reds reassigned Santillan to minor-league camp Friday, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Santillan yielded just one hit with a 10:0 K:BB over five scoreless innings this spring but still wasn't able to make the team. It would not be a surprise if he decided to opt out of his contract and look for another gig elsewhere.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Re-signs on minors contract
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Cincinnati re-signed Santillan on Thursday to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training.
Santillan has been bogged down by various injuries over the last two seasons, but he posted a shiny 2.91 ERA with 56 strikeouts over 43.1 innings as a rookie in 2021. With better luck on the health front, the 26-year-old right-hander could reestablish himself as a useful part of the Reds' bullpen mix in 2024.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Outrighted to Louisville
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Santillan cleared waivers Friday and was sent outright to Triple-A Louisville, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Santillan gave up one run over 3.1 innings in three appearances with the Reds, but a 9.26 ERA and 2.12 WHIP in Triple-A was enough to discourage interest from other teams. He will almost certainly remain in Louisville to finish the season.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Dropped from 40-man roster
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Santillan was designated for assignment by the Reds on Tuesday.
Santillan missed the first three months of the 2023 campaign due to back and hamstring injuries and has posted an ugly 9.26 ERA across 23.1 innings of relief at Triple-A. The 26-year-old right-hander showed a lot of promise as a rookie in 2021, but he is now off the 40-man roster in Cincinnati.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Added as 27th man
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Cincinnati added Santillan as the 27th man for Tuesday night's game against the Giants.
Santillan can be utilized by the Reds in their regularly-scheduled game versus San Francisco after Monday's suspended contest is completed. The 26-year-old missed the first three months of the 2023 season due to lingering back and hamstring injuries, but he logged two scoreless innings for Cincinnati earlier this month and worked a scoreless frame with two strikeouts this past weekend at Triple-A Louisville.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Optioned to Triple-A
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The Reds optioned Santillan to Triple-A Louisville on Saturday.
After throwing two scoreless innings since returning from the 60-day injured list Thursday, Santillan will be pushed off the active roster to make room for Michael Mariot, who was selected from Louisville on Saturday. The 26-year-old righty put up a 7.00 ERA and 2.22 WHIP through nine innings during his rehab assignment in Triple-A, and he'll likely have to show improvement before rejoining the Reds' bullpen.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Activated from 60-day IL
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Santillan (back/hamstring) was activated from the 60-day injured list Thursday, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Finally recovered from lingering back and hamstring injuries, Santillan will be available out of the Reds' bullpen -- for the first time this season -- Thursday afternoon against the Nationals. The 26-year-old right-hander holds a career 3.71 ERA with 77 strikeouts in 63 major-league innings.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Throws bullpen session
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Santillan (knee/hamstring) resumed throwing bullpen sessions Saturday, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Santillan suffered a setback in May that shut him down from throwing, but he is now back doing mound work. He's slated to throw live batting practice next week and could begin a rehab assignment shortly thereafter.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Scratched from live BP
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Santillan's (back/knee/hamstring) recently scheduled live batting practice session was scratched due to left hamstring soreness, Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Santillan had finally been making some progress as he works his way back from back, knee and hamstring problems, but now he's had another setback. His future status is uncertain.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Pulled off rehab assignment
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Santillan (back) was pulled off his rehab assignment Friday due to right knee discomfort.
Santillan had been pushing toward his season debut after battling a back injury last year and again this spring, but that plan will be put on hold due to this knee issue he picked up at Triple-A Louisville. The severity of the setback is not yet clear.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Throws live batting practice
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Santillan (back) threw a live batting practice session Saturday, facing Will Benson and Jose Barrero, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports. It was his first live session of the spring.
Santillan is targeting a return to game action by mid-April, though what role he'll have upon his return remains uncertain.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Throwing side session Tuesday
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Santillan (back) is throwing a side session Tuesday in Reds camp, Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Santillan is likely to spend a bit of time on the IL to begin the 2023 regular season as he continues to work through a back strain that popped up last summer, but the hope is that he could be a high-leverage bullpen option in Cincinnati around early-to-mid April.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Likely done for season
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Santillan (back) is unlikely to return this season, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Manager David Bell called it a "long shot" to expect Santillan to return from his lower-back strain this season. Alexis Diaz has emerged as the Reds' go-to option for saves in Santillan's absence.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Moves to 60-day IL
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The Reds transferred Santillan (back) to the 60-day injured list Tuesday.
The move guarantees Santillan will return from his back strain no sooner than mid-August, though manager David Bell speculated the reliever might not be activated until September, per Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer. Prior to landing on the shelf with al lower-back strain, Santillan struggled to the tune of a 5.49 ERA and 1.78 WHIP in 19.2 innings, but he could still see high-leverage work once healthy.
