The Cincinnati Reds are shallow on their pitching right now at the upper levels. Injuries have been a problem with the big league club, as has ineffectiveness in the big leagues as well as Triple-A. Combining the two issues has led to the club having multiple “bullpen days” at the big league level in the past few weeks and now that problem has reached the Triple-A level, too, as pitchers have been called up from Louisville to help things with the Reds. Needing starting pitching, or pitching depth in general, the Reds went out looking for some help and found some in the Atlantic League and signed right-handed pitcher Brett Kennedy from the Long Island Ducks. This is the second straight season in which Brett Kennedy began the year with the Long Island Ducks and was then signed by an affiliated club.
Back in 2018, Kennedy pitched in six games with the San Diego Padres. It was the only season in which he reached the major leagues. He made six starts and posted a 6.75 ERA in 26.2 innings with 12 walks and 18 strikeouts with the Padres that year.
After having a disastrous 2021 season where he went 1-8 with an 8.89 ERA, San Diego released him in mid-September. He then signed with Long Island for the 2022 season and after six starts he signed with the Boston Red Sox and spent much of the season in Double-A with Portland where he posted a 3.94 ERA. He also pitched in two games with their Triple-A affiliate in Worcester without allowing a run in two relief appearances.
This season he was back with Long Island and made three starts for the Ducks, allowing four earned runs in 11.2 innings with two walks and 16 strikeouts. It seems for now he’ll start for Louisville, and he’s on the mound tonight as they begin a home series against Jacksonville.
You can see Brett Kennedy’s career stats here.
Other Transactions
The signing of Brett Kennedy isn’t the only move of the day on the farm. Cincinnati made more than a few throughout the system, and it’s possible there’s more to come as the Reds will have to make a move to get Brandon Williamson onto the active roster for tonight’s game in Colorado and that could involve sending someone to Triple-A. For now, here are the moves we know about for Tuesday’s series openers:
- Donovan Benoit to Chattanooga (from Dayton)
- Steven Leyton activated from the IL, sent to Dayton
- John Murphy to Dayton (from Daytona)
- Brett Lockwood to Daytona (from extended spring training)
- Luis Mey to Daytona (from extended spring training)
- Ilvin Fernandez to extended spring training (from Dayton)
There really just isn’t much pitching on the open market until the trade deadline. We need some of the injured guys to come back in June – Santillan, Gutierrez, Antone, Justin Dunn, Overton and Cruz. If we can make it until then without having to call up anymore undeserving players it would be ideal.
TBH they’ll be very fortunate if two of those guys are back in June. I expect only one to be completely ready. Two more may be set for a few rehab appearances in MiLB. Some may be back after the break, and most by September in some form. Doubtful that VladGut is back at all this season.
Kennedy’s performance in 2022 and 2023 really looks quite decent. I hope it gets all the training he needs in Louisville.
They are short of pitching at major and AAA levels but they released Chase Anderson who was performing solid at Louisville Bats, I don’t understand a little…
We’ll see tonight! I noticed Chase Anderson has lowered his WHIP significantly for the last three years each and every year. But, they don’t use those old stats anymore and make fun of the old people for thinking of them.
WHIP is a stat that is still very much relevant in the eyes of many. ERA and Wins are the two stats that are sort of Irrelevant these days
Anyone who says ERA is irrelevant is someone you should never listen to talk about baseball.
I think you got Leyton backwards. Activated from the IL in Chattanooga and then demoted to Dayton. Aranguren starting for Louisville today?
Correct on both! Time to edit.