The Reds got another quiet night at the plate Monday against the Giants, and Chase Burns couldn’t make it through five innings for the first time this season. Cincinnati had to lean on its bullpen early after Burns lasted just 3⅔ innings, but the relief group did its part. Sam Moll, Julian Garcia, and Emilo Pagán combined to give up only one hit over the final 4⅓ frames.
That outing came as the Reds’ bullpen continues to steady itself after a rough May and June. Since July 1, the unit has posted a 3.92 ERA and 4.01 FIP, and its 1.7 fWAR in that stretch ranks ninth among all Major League bullpens. Tony Santillan is already back in the mix after missing nearly two months with an oblique injury, and another important arm appears to be on the way soon.
Graham Ashcraft is expected to start a rehab assignment this week as he works back from a UCL sprain. The right-hander has been out since May 29, but he’s been throwing live batting practice for most of the past week and recently shifted his rehab work to Triple-A. According to MLB.com beat writer Mark Sheldon, Ashcraft is scheduled to pitch three times this week, with what could be his final rehab outing coming on August 30 for the Louisville Bats.
Ashcraft’s return would give Cincinnati another boost on the back end. Before Santillan came back last week, Pagán and Brock Burke had been carrying much of the late-inning load. If Ashcraft’s rehab stays on track, he could be back with the Reds as soon as next week.
Carson Spiers is also working his way back, though his timeline is much longer. He hasn’t pitched in the majors since a right shoulder impingement shut him down in April of 2025, and he underwent Tommy John surgery last year. The Reds removed him from the 40-man roster, but that move was more about managing the recovery process than anything else.
Spiers began a rehab assignment with the Dayton Dragons last week and covered 3⅔ innings in his first game action in nearly 17 months. He allowed two runs on three hits, including a home run, walked one batter, and struck out four. He’s not expected to rejoin the big-league club this season, but the Reds would like to have him back in the organization heading into the 2026-27 offseason.
For now, the plan is for Spiers to keep rehabbing in the minors through the rest of the year before signing a minor-league deal with a spring training invite this winter.
The Reds also learned where their Arizona Fall League group will land. This year’s assignment will be the Peoria Javelinas, the team tied to the shared spring training home of the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners. The AFL won’t start until October, but the Reds already know the destination for their fall prospects.
Cincinnati has sent players such as Alfredo Duno, Cam Collier, and Leo Balcazar to the league in the past, and the AFL remains one of the better proving grounds for players on the rise. It will be worth watching to see which Reds prospects head to Peoria this fall.
In Other News...
Sal Stewart Suddenly Has A Real Rookie Of The Year Threat
The National League Rookie of the Year conversation has tightened into a familiar two-man debate for much of the year, with Sal Stewart and JJ Wetherholt trading the spotlight as the calendar moved into the second half. Stewart has been a major part of the Reds offense and sits atop NL rookies in several key categories, giving Cincinnati a legitimate case built on both production and consistency. Even with the playoffs fading from view, his body of work has kept him squarely in the middle of the award race.
Carson Benge has now forced his way into that discussion, though, and it comes at a time when voters are likely to weigh more than just raw numbers. The Mets outfielder has made a real jump since the All-Star break, enough to turn what looked like a two-player race into something less settled. For Stewart, the issue is no longer simply whether he has been good enough, but whether the total value he has provided to the Reds can still separate him from a pair of challengers gaining ground at the right time. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Future Power Surge Is Creating A Tough Roster Question
The Reds disappointing 2026 season has only sharpened the focus on what might be coming next, and the loudest sign of optimism is coming from the farm. Daytons High-A club turned heads by setting a single-season home run record with 153 blasts, a total fueled by prospects Carter Graham and Alfredo Duno before both moved on to Double-A Chattanooga. It was the kind of power surge that can change the mood around an organization in a hurry, especially for a fan base hungry for reasons to look past the present.
Now the question shifts from production to placement. On the big-league side, Sal Stewart is already leading the Reds in home runs, while Dunos rapid rise has started to raise a familiar roster conversation behind the plate, where Tyler Stephensons status looms over the long-term picture. The Reds may have more power on the way than they know what to do with, and sorting out where all of it fits could become one of the more interesting decisions of the offseason. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Are Running Out Of Time To Regain Fan Trust
The frustration around the Reds has been building for years, and it is not hard to see why. Cincinnati has gone nearly three decades without winning a playoff series, the longest active drought of its kind in professional sports, and the club has reached the postseason only five times in the last 32 years. For a fan base that has waited through too many false starts, the problem is not just one bad season here or there. It is the accumulation of missed chances, uneven roster talent and a front office structure that has too often left the team treading water instead of moving forward.
What makes the moment feel so urgent is that patience is not the same thing as trust. Reds fans and outside observers alike have started to talk more openly about the need for real change, not just incremental fixes, if the franchise wants to look like a contender again. Until the organization can show it can build and sustain a better roster and make sharper decisions at the top, every promising stretch will carry the same old burden of doubt. [Read more 🡒]