The Cincinnati Reds have executed a series of roster maneuvers today. They have promoted right-handed starting pitcher Lyon Richardson from Triple-A Louisville while demoting reliever Casey Legumina back to the minors.
Casey Legumina’s stint in Cincinnati was brief. Initially called up from Louisville on July 20th, he did not see any game action during his three days with the Reds before being optioned back to Triple-A. This marks his second call-up this season, the previous one lasting just a single day when he pitched against the Phillies on April 22nd.
Lyon Richardson is making his first appearance in the majors this season. The 24-year-old right-handed pitcher had a brief stint with the Reds in 2023, making four starts late in the season where he struggled, allowing 16 earned runs in 16.2 innings with 15 walks and 12 strikeouts.
Richardson has spent the entire current season in Triple-A, appearing in 19 games for the Louisville Bats with a record of 1-6 and a 4.43 ERA. Over 83.1 innings, he surrendered 75 hits, issued 52 walks, and struck out 76 batters (20.3% K rate).
His recent performance has shown improvement, especially in the last five weeks where he made five starts, pitching 26.0 innings with a 3.12 ERA, walking eight and striking out 23.
Nick Martinez will start tonight’s game for Cincinnati against Atlanta, with the team anticipating the return of Carson Spiers from the injured list soon. Richardson’s call-up serves as a temporary measure to bolster the team’s pitching depth, providing insurance in case of extended bullpen use.