The Cincinnati Reds have officially selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Alan Busenitz, a move that comes in response to a corresponding transaction involving left-hander Brandon Leibrandt, who has been optioned to the minors. The Reds had an open spot on their 40-man roster, making this transition seamless.
This decision follows a tough game against the Atlanta Braves, where the Reds suffered a lopsided defeat, losing 15-3. Starting pitcher Julian Aguiar struggled significantly, allowing seven runs over just four innings of work. Following him, Yosver Zulueta pitched one inning and surrendered one run, but it was Leibrandt who bore the brunt of the damage.
He entered the game in a mop-up role and ended up pitching four innings, during which he allowed another seven runs while throwing 80 pitches. Given his heavy workload and poor performance, the Reds opted to bring in Busenitz, providing a much-needed fresh arm for the bullpen.
Busenitz, now 34, originally signed a minor league contract with the Reds during the offseason. This marks the second time his contract has been selected by the team; the first instance occurred on August 23 when the Reds utilized a bullpen game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. In that outing, he pitched one inning but struggled, giving up four runs, three of which were earned. Following that performance, he was designated for assignment, cleared waivers, and was subsequently sent back to Triple-A Louisville.
At the Triple-A level, Busenitz has shown better results, compiling a 4.07 earned run average over 66 1/3 innings across 49 appearances. He has demonstrated the ability to pitch multiple innings, which can be beneficial for a team in need of bullpen depth. His statistics show a strikeout rate of 21.6%, a walk rate of 7.9%, and a ground ball rate of 44.5%, all of which are around league averages.
While the Reds find themselves out of playoff contention, adding Busenitz to the roster provides them with another option in relief as they navigate the final stretch of the season. However, he is out of minor league options, meaning that if the Reds need to make further adjustments to their pitching staff, he could find himself on the waiver wire once again.
As of now, the Reds have not announced a starting pitcher for their upcoming game on Sunday, raising the possibility of either another bullpen game or a spot start. The team continues to work through the challenges of the season, and Busenitz’s return could play a pivotal role in their late-season strategy.