The Cincinnati Reds have officially secured the signing of left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson on a one-year contract. This development was reported by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic and later confirmed by Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer. The signing is contingent upon Ferguson passing a physical examination.
Ferguson’s Role in the Bullpen
Ferguson joins the Reds’ bullpen as a crucial addition. The team previously bought out Brent Suter at the start of the offseason, leaving Sam Moll as their only left-handed option. Moll has had inconsistent performances in 2023, giving up 16 runs over 18 1/3 MLB innings. While he showed potential as a middle reliever from 2022 to 2024, the Reds needed a more reliable lefty to strengthen their bullpen.
Last Season Performance
In the 2023 season, Ferguson demonstrated solid performance while playing for both the Pittsburgh Pirates and Seattle Mariners. He made a career-high 70 appearances and recorded a 3.58 earned run average over 65 1/3 innings. Additionally, he amassed 14 holds during the season.
Weak Contact and Strikeout Rate
Ferguson’s ability to generate weak contact was evident, although he benefitted from an unusually low home run rate and batting average on balls in play. As the metrics normalize in 2024, there may be an uptick in these numbers, although Ferguson could potentially counteract this by increasing his strikeout rate.
- Average Strikeout Rate: 18.9% (lowest of his career)
- Past Strikeout Performance: Over 25% in each of his first six seasons
- Average Fastball Speed: 94 MPH (consistent with previous seasons)
Adjustments Against Left-Handed Batters
Notably, Ferguson made significant adjustments in his pitching approach against left-handed batters. He reduced his usage of the four-seam fastball in favor of a sinker, resulting in improved strike command. This strategy proved effective, as he held lefties to a .184 batting average with no home runs in 115 plate appearances.
The Reds will look to integrate Ferguson into their strategy for the upcoming season, aiming for better outcomes from their bullpen with this new signing. Further updates on Ferguson’s successful passing of his physical are anticipated.
