The Cincinnati Reds have lost another arm from a bullpen that has been under the microscope for months. After being designated for assignment recently, Sam Moll has now elected free agency, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
The team has not announced the move yet, so the transaction remains a little unclear on the official side. Still, the end result is the same: Moll is out and available.
Moll spent the last four years in Cincinnati and gave the Reds 137 innings during that stretch, posting a 3.88 ERA. For much of that time, the left-hander was a useful piece in the Queen City.
This season, though, the production slipped hard. Over 56 1/3 innings, he put up a -0.3 WAR, went 2-7, and carried a WHIP above 1.40 after an ERA well over 6.00 last season.
His decline marks a sharp turn from a strong first year and a half with the club. Now the Reds are clearly moving in another direction, and Moll appears ready to do the same.
He’s the second left-handed reliever Cincinnati has parted with this season. The other was Caleb Ferguson, who was traded at the deadline.
Together, those moves highlight just how much trouble the Reds have had in the bullpen this year. The relief corps has been a problem throughout the season, and Cincinnati is going to need a full reset there if it wants to get back into postseason contention.
Moll could still land somewhere before the season ends, especially with teams often looking for a lefty specialist down the stretch.
In Other News...
Reds Are Still Paying For A Third Base Bet Gone Wrong
The Reds made a familiar kind of bet when they went after a veteran third baseman, banking on steady defense to help stabilize the left side of the infield and shifting top prospect Sal Stewart to first base in the process. It was the sort of move that can make sense on paper for a club trying to keep its lineup and defense in balance, especially when the alternative is waiting on youth to sort itself out at the major league level.
Instead, the move has become another reminder of how tricky that corner of the diamond has been for Cincinnati. The veteran has struggled at the plate and dealt with health issues, and the club recently sent him to Arizona for swing work in an effort to get him back on track. It also fits an unfortunate pattern for the Reds, who have had more than one veteran third base addition fail to deliver, leaving them to keep searching for answers in a spot that has long been tied to their postseason frustrations. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Face A Tough Eugenio Surez Call After His Late Surge
Eugenio Surez has given the Reds plenty to think about as the winter picture starts to come into focus. His recent offensive numbers have been down, with a low batting average and slugging percentage in the more recent stretches, but he did show some improvement in the second half of the 2026 season and still has a track record of coming through in big spots.
The contract wrinkle is what makes the conversation more interesting for Cincinnati. The club holds a mutual option for 2027 that it can turn down without paying a buyout, and while there is some belief the Reds could try to bring him back at a lower price because the free-agent market looks thin, Surez has also kept showing the kind of clutch bat and clubhouse presence that make a clean break harder to justify. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Have A Teen Infield Prospect Fans Need To Watch Closely
Liberts Aponte is starting to look like one of the more intriguing names in the Reds lower-minors pipeline. The 18-year-old Dominican infielder has put together a strong season in the Dominican Summer League, and his overall profile has begun to match the attention that comes with being ranked among Cincinnatis better prospects by MLB Pipeline.
What makes Aponte worth tracking is the way his game is rounding into shape on both sides of the ball. He has shown real progress at the plate, getting on base at a healthy clip and adding stolen bases to the mix, while scouts have also liked his infield actions and the possibility that he could handle more than one spot as he develops. The talent is evident, even if the next step in his progression is still the part everyone is waiting to see. [Read more 🡒]