Scott

Barlow

Barlow never even touched 90 mph on the gun today, with his average fastball coming in at 88.7 mph. That’s down 3.6 mph from last year. Of course, Barlow did sign late, and he’s a veteran who knows what he has to do to get ready for the season. Still, a bad spring will probably drop him down the depth chart some in an Athletics pen with no clear closer.

Barlow agreed to the deal last Friday. He had a 4.21 ERA in 68 1/3 innings for the Reds last season, but his strikeout rate was down and his walk rate was up. He doesn’t seem like a very good bet at this point, but there is still some save potential in what looks like a very weak A’s bullpen.

Barlow was able to command a major league deal, though it’s from a team playing games in a minor league ballpark. The 33-year-old has finished with ERAs in the 4.20-4.40 range three years running, though he did so with both the worst strikeout rate (24.8%) and highest walk rate (14.9%) of his career in Cincinnati last season. Just about anyone could emerge as the Athletics’ closer, but Barlow doesn’t seem like a good bet at this point.

Barlow made 75 appearances for the Reds in 2025, and while he struck out 75 hitters in his 68 1/3 innings, he also walked 45 with an ERA of 4.21. Still, it’s likely that Barlow will see interest on the free-agent market for a team looking to buoy its middle-relief depth.

Hays is one of three players that the Reds declined options on, with Brent Suter and Scott Barlow joining Hays. The 30-year-old outfielder dealt with injuries for much of the 2025 season, but he did post a solid .768 OPS with 15 homers and 64 RBI in his 103 appearances with Cincinnati. He’ll certainly have interest on the market, even with his injury history and less-than-spectacular defense.

The Reds will have a bullpen game tonight, with Scott Barlow slated to start versus the Blue Jays. No word yet on when Lodolo might pitch again.

Barlow procured strikeouts for all of his outs, with just a walk issued between. The 32-year-old has his first save of 2025, and it very would could be his last.

Barlow wound up only missing one game while away on paternity leave. The 32-year-old righty has pitched to a respectable 3.63 ERA and 49/27 K/BB ratio across 44 2/3 innings (49 appearances) this season in his Reds debut.

Barlow will be away from the team for up to three days. Luis Mey is up to take his spot in the bullpen.

It was surprising to see Gibaut up for the ninth, but the Reds ran through their better arms early; Scott Barlow, Emilio Pagán and Tony Santillan each pitched perfect innings that included two strikeouts. Gibaut, who was non-tendered by the Reds over the winter before being re-signed to a minor league deal, went on to give up three hits, including a three-run homer to Wilmer Flores. There wouldn’t have been much reason to pick up Gibaut in fantasy leagues had he succeeded today, and there certainly isn’t any now. Santillan is probably the current favorite for saves, with Barlow, who is throwing particularly well, maybe next in line.