Reds' Alexis Diaz: To pitch in minors game Tuesday
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Diaz will pitch in a minor-league game Tuesday, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.
Diaz was shelled for five runs on three hits and three walks while recording just one out in his last Cactus League appearance Saturday. Reds manager Terry Francona had a less than favorable review of Diaz's outing afterward, saying the reliever has "got to lock it in here," per Sheldon. It appears the team has determined the best spot for Diaz to attempt to get back on track, at least initially, is in a less pressurized situation. Diaz has made only three appearances this spring due to a hamstring issue and he also developed a cut on his right thumb during Saturday's appearance, although Francona contended that the thumb issue had nothing to do with Diaz's struggles in the outing. The 28-year-old entered camp as the clear favorite to serve as the Reds' closer, but his grip on the job might be tenuous. Taylor Rogers, Emilio Pagan, Tony Santillan and Scott Barlow loom as closer alternatives if Francona wants to go in another direction, with Rogers perhaps the favorite of the bunch.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Ugly outing Saturday
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Diaz allowed five runs on three hits and three walks while striking out one over a third of an inning in Saturday's Cactus League game against Kansas City.
Diaz, who was delayed getting into Cactus League games after dealing with a hamstring issue early in camp, struggled during his third spring appearance. "It's his third outing. Certainly, we've got to lock it in here. We've got about another week," Reds manager Terry Francona said about Cincinnati's closer to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. At some point during the outing, Francona and a team trainer visited the mound because the right-hander's thumb was bleeding. Diaz remained in the game and walked the next batter before being removed. Francona said the cut on his thumb, which was exacerbated by the pitcher's thumbnail, had nothing to do with Diaz's troubles.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Makes spring debut
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Diaz (hamstring) allowed one hit and one walk over a scoreless inning in Sunday's spring game against the Angels.
Diaz made his Cactus League debut, entering in the fifth inning after starter Graham Ashcraft worked the first four frames. Diaz was held out of early spring games as a precaution after he felt something in his hamstring during pitcher fielding drills. The Reds' closer is confident he'll be ready for Opening Day.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Cleared to return after live BP
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Diaz (hamstring) is expected to make his Cactus League debut this weekend after looking good in a live batting practice session Wednesday, Pat Brennan of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Diaz tweaked his hamstring during a fielding drill in late February, but it appears he's put the injury behind him. The 28-year-old is expected to open the 2025 season as the Reds' closer and as a reliever still has enough time to ramp up before Opening Day.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Recovering from hamstring injury
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Diaz has been held out of Cactus League play after tweaking his hamstring during pitchers' fielding practice about a week ago, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Diaz said Monday that he feels "great" now and expects to be ready for his Cactus League debut this weekend. If he is indeed ready to pitch later this week and can avoid setbacks, Diaz should have enough time to be ready for Opening Day. The righty is expected to open the 2025 season as Cincinnati's closer, though he could be on a relatively short leash after posting a 3.99 ERA and just a 22.7 percent strikeout rate in 2024.
Reds' Alexis Diaz: Begins throwing program earlier
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Diaz began his throwing program at home in Puerto Rico in order to get off to a better start in the 2025 season, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. "I started throwing or loosening up my arm at the end of October," Diaz said. "I feel like since then, I've been able to work on my throwing and get my arm loose and ready for spring training. I think just my physique and how I've been able to work as well has been much better."
Diaz's ERA soared like a jet airplane early in the season, peaking at 7.47 after a terrible outing against the Dodgers in May. Over the final four months of the season, Diaz posted a 2.83 ERA and 1.14 WHIP, though his K% remained lower than his previous seasons. The Reds haven't added any real competition to the back end of the bullpen to date, so it appears that Diaz will get a full chance to redeem himself to start 2025.
The Reds and Diaz avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $4.5 million contract Thursday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
It's a substantial raise for Diaz, who was in his first year of arbitration eligibility. The closer saved 28 games for the Reds in 2024 but had a lackluster season overall, collecting a 3.99 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 55:31 K:BB across 56.1 frames. Diaz is slated to open 2025 in the closer role again, but new manager Terry Francona might not give him a long leash.
Diaz earned the save in Tuesday's 6-5 win over Atlanta, allowing one hit while striking out two in a scoreless ninth inning.
Atlanta made things interesting in the ninth with a two-out single followed by a stolen base. However, Diaz proceeded to strike out Michael Harris, stranding the tying run on second to lock down his 28th save this season. The 27-year-old Diaz has now delivered seven straight scoreless appearances (seven innings), allowing just one hit while striking out seven in that span. His ERA is down to 4.14 on the year with a 1.27 WHIP and 54:28 K:BB across 54.1 innings.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Earns 27th save
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Diaz pitched a perfect ninth inning Monday to pick up the save against Atlanta. He did not allow a hit or a walk and did not collect a strikeout.
Diaz entered a 1-0 game and kept Atlanta off the bases for his 27th save and third in his last four appearances. Following a rough August where Diaz pitched a 7.00 ERA and blew two saves, Diaz has bounced back in September as he has yet to allow a hit in five appearances in the month. The 27-year-old has been up and down this season but remains one of the more reliable options for saves as he ranks ninth in MLB in that category.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Collects 26th save
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Diaz tossed a clean ninth inning Sunday to pick up the save against the Mets. He struck out two.
After going over three weeks without a save, Diaz collected his second in three appearances to raise his season total to 26. More importantly, it was the fourth straight clean appearance for Diaz, who held an ERA of 7.00 through 11 appearances in August but has allowed one baserunner and no runs thus far in September.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Grabs 25th save
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Diaz picked up the save Thursday against Houston, striking out one without allowing any hits or walks.
Diaz pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his first save since Aug. 13, ending a streak of eight straight appearances without a save. The 27-year-old pitched to a 7.36 ERA over those prior eight outings, but he's now pitched clean innings in back-to-back appearances. With his 25th save of the season, Diaz becomes the sixth reliever with 25 or more saves in each of the last two seasons.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Blows save Thursday
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Diaz allowed three runs on three hits and a walk while failing to record an out, taking a blown save in Thursday's 10-9 win over the Athletics.
Diaz has blown his last two save chances and hasn't converted one since Aug. 13. He served up a solo home run to Lawrence Butler and a two-run single to Seth Brown before he was pulled from the contest, and Emilio Pagan was able to prevent any further damage. The Reds then rallied for three runs in their half of the frame to spare Diaz from the loss. Diaz is now 24-for-28 in save chances this year while pitching to a poor 4.86 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 46:28 K:BB across 46.1 innings. The homer he allowed Thursday was the career-high sixth he's given up this year, which is more concerning given this is also Diaz's smallest workload in his three-year career.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Yields walk-off homer
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Diaz blew a save Sunday against Pittsburgh, allowing two runs on one hit and a hit-by-pitch over one-third of an inning.
The Reds took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth, but Diaz couldn't get the job done. After getting Rowdy Tellez to ground out to start the frame, Diaz hit Bryan De La Cruz with a pitch then surrendered a walk-off two-run home run to Yasmani Grandal. The 27-year-old closer is now 24-for-27 in save opportunities this season, and the outing pushed his ERA from 4.00 to 4.37.
Diaz earned the save against the Cardinals on Tuesday, walking one and striking out one in a scoreless ninth inning.
Diaz was called upon to protect a 4-1 lead in the ninth and tallied his 24th save of the year on 18 pitches. The 27-year-old has nailed down 17 consecutive save chances and owns a 4.07 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 41:26 K:BB across 42 innings this season.
