Reds' Tony Santillan: Pitching Wednesday in MiLB game
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Santillan (back) is scheduled to pitch a minor-league game Wednesday for the Reds in Arizona, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
This will be Santillan's first appearance of the spring -- albeit on the minor-league fields -- as he has been sidelined with a back strain that also saw him miss action during the 2022 campaign. The right-hander is hoping to be ready for his 2023 debut by mid-April, and barring unforeseen circumstances, he'll open the regular season on the injured list.
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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: Could be delayed for season
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Reds manager David Bell said Tuesday that Santillan (back) may not be ready to pitch by the start of the regular season, Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Santillan is making steady progress in his recovery from the lower-back strain that he suffered last summer, but he hasn't quite returned to full strength yet. The 25-year-old right-hander projects to fill a middle-relief or setup role for Cincinnati whenever he's fit enough to do so.
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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.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Cleared for core-strengthening work
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Santillan (back) began core-strengthening exercises this weekend and could be cleared to resume a throwing program within the next week, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Santillan may have an outside chance of making it back for the final weekend before the All-Star break if he avoids any further snags in his rehab program for his strained lower back, but given the Reds' place in the standings, it wouldn't be surprising if he was held out for the remainder of the first half. Before landing on the shelf, Santillan had recorded a save, blown save or hold in each of his final seven appearances, but he may not immediately factor into closing situations upon his return. While Santillan has been sidelined, Hunter Strickland has notched three saves in as many chances and looks to be manager David Bell's preferred closing option.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Lands on 15-day IL
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Santillan was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday due to a back injury.
Santillan has apparently been dealing with the issue over the last few days and will be sidelined for at least two weeks. The exact nature and severity of his injury aren't yet clear, and he doesn't have a timetable to return. Art Warren and Alexis Diaz should see more work in the ninth inning while Santillan and Lucas Sims (back) are sidelined.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Blows save against Arizona
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Santillan (0-1) allowed four runs (two earned) on two hits and two walks to blow the save and take the loss Thursday against the Diamondbacks.
Santillan entered the game in the ninth inning in a save situation, but he unraveled by retiring just two of the six batters he faced. While he has served as Cincinnati's closer of late, Santillan has allowed at least one earned run in each of his last three appearances while giving up eight hits and three walks across just 2.1 frames. Art Warren or Alexis Diaz could start to earn more work in the ninth inning if Santillan's struggles continue.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Survives for fourth save
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Santillan got the save Tuesday after he pitched one inning, giving up one run on three hits while striking out two in Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Red Sox.
Santillan was called on in the bottom of the ninth inning to protect a 2-0 lead, but he quickly ran into trouble. He allowed three hits including a two-out RBI single to Alex Verdugo, but he was able to get Trevor Story swinging to end the contest. The save was the 25-year-old's fourth of the season in five opportunities and he also has four holds. The earned run was his first given up in his last six appearances, and he's earned two three saves and two holds over that stretch. Santillan now owns 4.67 ERA and 1.56 WHIP with 20 strikeouts in 17.1 frames spanning 17 appearances this year.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Collects third save
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Santillan allowed two hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 1.1 innings to earn the save in Saturday's 3-2 win over the Giants.
Santillan escaped a two-on, two-out jam in the eighth inning with little trouble before putting more traffic on base in the ninth. He was able to get a little help from his defense, as Joey Bart was thrown out at home on a two-out Wilmer Flores single that would have counted as the game-tying run. Santillan has not given up a run in his last five appearances, logging six scoreless inning with two saves, two holds and a 4:4 K:BB in that span. For the season, he's posted a 4.41 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 18:9 K:BB, three saves, four holds and a blown save across 16.1 innings. As long as he's pitching well, the 25-year-old should remain in the Reds' high-leverage mix as part of a closer committee.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: First save since Opening Day
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Santillan earned the save in Thursday's win over the Guardians. He struck out one batter in 1.2 perfect innings.
When Alexis Diaz made a mess of things in the eighth inning, Santillan was there to clean up. He got a double play to end the eighth and then retired the side in order in the ninth to secure his second save of the season, and first since Opening Day. Diaz has the best numbers in the Cincinnati bullpen, but Diaz is inexperienced, and manager David Bell likes to mix and match anyway. Santillan, Art Warren and others will likely remain in the mix for the occasional save as the chances get spread around.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Struggles with control
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Santillan struggled in Thursday's loss to the Padres, retiring two batters while hitting two batters, walking another and then giving up a bases-loaded double. A lack of command of his slider was the main culprit for his issues, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. "Right from pitch one, it looked like he was maybe overthrowing his slider a little bit, pulling it," Reds manager David Bell said.
Since nailing down the save on Opening Day, Santillan has declined, picking up one hold over the weekend, but seeing his ERA skyrocket to 8.10 with a WHIP of 1.50. Lucas Sims is now back from the injured list, and Santillan has been pushed down in the closer pecking order as a result.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Notches save Thursday
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Santillan earned a save against Atlanta on Thursday, pitching a perfect ninth inning during which he struck out two batters.
The Reds' closer situation was murky enough heading into the regular season, and it becomes even more complicated with Santillan -- who wasn't generally considered among the prime candidates for ninth-inning duties -- picking up the team's first save. Manager David Bell indicated in late March that the right-hander was even being considered for a spot in the starting rotation, so the organization obviously values his versatility. It seems unlikely that Santillan would be handed full-time closer duties after one successful outing, though he handled the role with aplomb Thursday, throwing 11 of 15 pitches for strikes and retiring the side in order. There will no doubt be plenty of Thursday night FAAB bids placed on the hurler based on his Opening Day performance, but managers would be wise to reign in expectations for what remains an unsettled bullpen situation in Cincinnati.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Set for high-leverage middle relief
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Santillan is expected to fill a high-leverage middle-innings role this season, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
The Reds intend to use Santillan the same way they used Tejay Antone last season before the latter underwent Tommy John surgery. Santillan could pick up the occasional save that way -- Antone saved three games in 23 appearances -- but his main path to fantasy relevance may come from the fact that he'll likely throw more than an inning at a time. Santillan has a history as a starting pitcher but didn't show the command necessary to fill that role last season, walking 11.1 percent of opposing batters.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Prepping for relief role
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Santillan told Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer on Tuesday that he'll serve as a reliever for the Reds to begin the season. "I'll go in and attack every hitter I face," Santillan said.
Santillan has mostly served as a full-time starter since joining the Reds organization as a second-round pick in 2015, with this past season marking the first time he dabbled between starting and relief duty. The 24-year-old still made four starts across his 26 appearances with the big club in 2021, and though he was expected to compete for a rotation role in spring training, the Reds have since tabled those plans. Even with Luis Castillo (shoulder) and Mike Minor (shoulder) set to begin the season on the injured list, the Reds may be content to let prospects Nick Lodolo and Hunter Greene fill out the final two openings in the rotation behind Tyler Mahle, Vladimir Gutierrez and Reiver Sanmartin. Meanwhile, manager David Bell informed Santillan that he'll be heading to the bullpen, where he's expected to serve as one of the Reds' high-leverage relievers, according to Goldsmith. Santillan could be a factor in the Reds' closing picture, which has become more murkier this spring with Lucas Sims (elbow) on track to join Castillo and Minor on the IL to begin the season.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Role undefined
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Santillan is under consideration for one of the three open spots in the Reds' rotation, though he hasn't worked more than two innings in spring training so far, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Santillan came up through the minors as a starter, though he had better results in the bullpen in the majors last season. "We'd love to have him in the bullpen because he dominated at the end of last season," Bell said. "To have that in the bullpen, his aggressive mentality, I would not be afraid of him in any situation (in the bullpen). But he's also a really good starter. With where we are, it's early to make that decision."
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Starting Sunday's spring game
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Santillan (ankle) is scheduled to start Sunday's spring training game against the Giants, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Santillan underwent ankle surgery during the offseason, but he's been throwing bullpen sessions to open spring training and will make an early start for the Reds. It appears the 24-year-old will be ready for the start of the season despite the procedure. He made his big-league debut for Cincinnati in 2021 and had a 2.91 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 56:21 K:BB over 43.1 innings with four starts in 26 appearances.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Role uncertain for 2022
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Santillan allowed a solo homer in Saturday's win over the Nationals. The Reds haven't decided what his role will be in 2022 after they moved him to the bullpen this summer, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Santillan has been on a roll, allowing two runs over the last two months, a span of 21.1 innings. Walks have remained an issue still, as he's walked 10 over that span and 20 over 41 major-league innings this season.
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Reds' Tony Santillan: Recalled by Reds
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Santillan was called up by Cincinnati on Tuesday.
Santillan has struck out 30 batters in 23.1 innings at the highest level this season but owns a mediocre 4.24 ERA. He'll take the bullpen spot that had been occupied by Heath Hembree, who was designated for assignment.
