One of baseball’s most intriguing comeback stories of the year is unfolding as former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher David Buchanan gets called up to the MLB for the first time in nearly a decade.
The Cincinnati Reds have announced they are promoting Buchanan, a right-handed pitcher recently acquired from the Phillies in exchange for cash considerations. This move marks his return to the major leagues after a lengthy absence.
Buchanan, who has consistently been the same pitcher throughout his career, relies primarily on a fastball that hovers around 90 mph. In recent years, he has favored his cutter over his fastball. He also uses a sinker and a changeup, though his curveball, which he throws infrequently, accounts for about 10% of his pitches. Buchanan is known for his high ground ball rate, which has reached 72.8% over his career, rather than for racking up strikeouts.
The Georgia native was selected by the Phillies in the seventh round of the 2010 MLB Draft after his time at Georgia State University. Buchanan began his professional career with a strong showing in the minors and made his MLB debut in 2015.
During his two-year stint with the Phillies, Buchanan struggled, posting a 5.01 ERA over 192.1 innings. His performance dipped further in his second year, with an ERA of 6.99. After being demoted to Triple-A in 2016, Buchanan was designated for assignment and released at the end of the season. Unable to secure a deal in the U.S., he took his talents abroad.
Buchanan spent three seasons with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), where he experienced moderate success, posting a 4.07 ERA while splitting time between starting and relief roles.
His most significant turnaround came in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO), where he joined the Samsung Lions. Over four seasons in Korea, Buchanan achieved a remarkable 3.02 ERA and was selected as an All-Star twice. His standout performance in the 2021 season saw him lead the KBO in wins with 16.
In 2023, Buchanan had a stellar year, finishing with a 2.54 ERA across 188 innings, demonstrating that he still has considerable talent.
At 35 years old, Buchanan signed a minor league contract with the Phillies with the hope of making a return to the major leagues. Now, it looks like the Reds are set to give him his first big league appearance in almost ten years, marking a significant milestone in his comeback journey.