Reds Add Much-Needed Left-Handed Depth with Caleb Ferguson Signing
No, it’s not the big-splash signing some fans were hoping for - Kyle Schwarber remains on the wish list - but the Cincinnati Reds have made a meaningful move to shore up a clear area of need. The club has reportedly agreed to terms with left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson, giving manager Terry Francona another southpaw option out of the bullpen. Until now, Sam Moll had been the lone lefty in the Reds’ pen.
This move fits right into what President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall has been aiming for all offseason: bullpen depth. While the back end of the relief corps - anchored by Emilio Pagán, Tony Santillan, and Graham Ashcraft - looks solid on paper, the middle innings have been a bit of a question mark. Ferguson helps bridge that gap, and his track record suggests he’s more than just a matchup guy.
Ferguson, a Columbus, Ohio native, spent last season splitting time between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Seattle Mariners. He put together a 3.58 ERA across 65 innings, striking out 51 batters and limiting damage in key spots. The deal is still pending a physical, but assuming it goes through, the Reds will be adding a pitcher who brings both durability and a skillset that fits their ballpark.
A Groundball Specialist with a Knack for Soft Contact
Ferguson isn’t going to light up the radar gun, but that’s not his game. What he does bring is a consistent ability to suppress hard contact - something the Reds have been targeting for a while now.
Last season, he ranked among the league leaders in key metrics like barrel rate, average exit velocity, and hard-hit rate. In a hitter-friendly park like Great American Ball Park, that kind of profile matters.
He also keeps the ball on the ground, which plays well in Cincinnati, where fly balls have a tendency to find the seats. Over the last three seasons, Ferguson has been a steady presence, racking up 200 appearances and 180 innings since 2023. His 3.85 ERA during that stretch may not jump off the page, but it’s a solid mark for a reliever logging that kind of volume.
Lefty Specialist in a Three-Batter World
At 29 years old, Ferguson still has plenty in the tank, but there’s a clear split in his effectiveness based on handedness. Against left-handed hitters last season, opponents batted just .181 - a dominant number that speaks to his ability to neutralize lefty bats. But right-handers had more success, hitting .263 off him and accounting for both home runs he allowed in 2025.
That’s going to matter in today’s game. With the three-batter minimum rule firmly in place, Francona won’t be able to use Ferguson as a traditional lefty specialist. Instead, he’ll need to pick his spots carefully - perhaps saving Ferguson for innings where two lefties are due up or when he can be sandwiched between favorable matchups.
Still, in a bullpen that needed more balance and more options, Ferguson is a welcome addition. He’s not the kind of name that steals headlines, but he fits a specific need, and he brings a level of consistency that could prove valuable over the course of a 162-game grind.
More Moves on the Horizon?
With the holidays approaching, Reds fans are hoping Ferguson isn’t the last gift under the tree. There are still holes to fill - both in the bullpen and elsewhere on the roster - but this move signals that the front office is still active and focused on shoring up the roster heading into 2026.
For now, adding a durable, low-contact lefty with local ties is a solid step forward. The Reds needed another left-handed option. Now they’ve got one.