MLB Rumors: Red Sox reunion, D’Backs hesitate, Reds trade link
By Kristen Wong
MLB Rumors: Reds could improve bullpen with Scott Barlow
If the Cincinnati Reds are looking for an affordable upgrade in the bullpen, they may have to look no further than Royals’ Scott Barlow.
The right-handed reliever, who remains under team-control for one more season, has a contract that’s very easy to swallow, and his best pitching days aren’t too far behind him.
In his last two seasons, Barlow recorded an ERA of 2.42 in 2021 and 2.18 in 2022. That number has jumped up to an unsettling 4.09 this season, yet the upside is clearly there.
Blog Red Machine’s Zach Pressnell recently wrote of the pros of the Reds acquiring Barlow:
"Adding another high-leverage reliever like Barlow to bolster the back end of the bullpen would take a lot of pressure off the shoulders of Lucas Sims and Alexis Diaz; both of whom have been overused throughout the first half of the 2023 season."
Having defied all expectations, the Reds are playoff contenders this year. They, like nearly every other MLB buyer, will go into the trade deadline looking for ways to boost their bullpen, and Royals’ Barlow represents one of the more budget-friendly closer options.
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