CINCINNATI — After addressing the need for an outfielder, the Reds added to their bullpen on Wednesday, trading for former All-Star Taylor Rogers from the Giants for a minor-league pitcher.
The left-handed Rogers is in the final season of a three-year, $33 million contract that will pay him $12 million in 2025. The Giants are chipping in half of the total, according to multiple big-league sources.
The Reds on Tuesday agreed to terms with free-agent outfielder Austin Hays, an All-Star in 2023 when he was with the Orioles, on a one-year deal worth $5 million, according to multiple big-league sources. Hays’ deal hasn’t been finalized, but should be soon.
After a disappointing 2024, the Reds hired veteran manager Terry Francona to replace David Bell, who was fired with a week to go in the season. Francona brings playoff experience with two World Series titles and another World Series appearance.
Including Hays, the Reds have added five established major leaguers from outside the organization to their roster and four were in the postseason last year. Infielder Gavin Lux and catcher Jose Trevino, both acquired in trades, were in the World Series for the Dodgers and Yankees, respectively. Starter Brady Singer advanced to the American League Division Series with the Royals and Hays was a member of the Phillies after a trade from the Orioles near the trade deadline.
“It starts with Tito,” said Nick Krall, the Reds’ president of baseball operations, referring to Francona. “Tito’s managed World Series champions before and he’s gone to another World Series, gone to multiple playoffs. He knows what it’s like to bring that (focus) to the field every day.”
While on a fan caravan over the weekend, Krall said he talked with Trevino about playing in the postseason and how veteran players who have playoff experience can help teammates who haven’t played in October.
Taylor Rogers, K’ing the Side. pic.twitter.com/n0aR9utwz8
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 28, 2024
“It was just great to hear him talking about it and what that process is and how important the clubhouse is and how important that daily work and the quality of that work is,” Krall said. “We’ve got a lot of younger players that have not been to the playoffs and just bringing some playoff experience (in) is a really good thing.”
Rogers, 34, appeared in three playoff series with the Twins earlier in his career.
The Giants signed Rogers to the three-year deal before the 2023 season. In two years with the Giants, he appeared in 124 games and put up a 3.06 ERA. Last year, he pitched in 64 games and had a 2.40 ERA.
“I’m really excited to add him,” Krall said. “(He brings) veteran leadership that just takes the ball and can go get outs with the rest of that group.”
Rogers joins lefties Sam Moll and Brent Suter in the bullpen.
“We felt this was a really good fit because when you have a guy that’s thrown a couple days in a row and he’s not available, having another guy that can go get those back-end quality outs is really important,” Krall said.
In his career, left-handed hitters have hit just .196 against Rogers. Last season, lefties hit .284 against him, but that was with an abnormally high .424 batting average on balls in play.
Rogers wasn’t the only lefty the Reds brought in Wednesday. The team agreed to a minor-league deal with veteran Wade Miley, who spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons with the Reds and threw a no-hitter against Francona’s Guardians in 2021. Miley spent the last two seasons in Milwaukee, but the 38-year-old made just two starts before undergoing elbow surgery last May. The Brewers declined their option on his 2025 contract.
The Reds are also close to a deal to bring back right-hander Ian Gibaut on a minor-league deal. Gibaut missed most of 2024 with forearm and calf injuries, appearing in just two games. Gibaut joined the Reds in 2022 and appeared in 74 games for the Reds in 2023, posting a 3.33 ERA.
(Photo: Alika Jenner / Getty Images)
