GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The makeup of the Reds¡¯ bullpen remained in flux Thursday ahead of the final few days of Spring Training. More developments could still alter the expected look for the regular season.
Alexis Díaz can no longer be presumed as the closer after he's struggled this spring. D¨ªaz's latest outing came on Tuesday in a Minor League game, and he had two walks and two strikeouts over one scoreless inning.
¡°[Pitching coach Derek Johnson] thought it was a step in the right direction," manager Terry Francona said on Thursday morning. "I think we still have some work to do."
In his previous Cactus League game on Saturday vs. the Royals, D¨ªaz was roughed up for five earned runs on three hits and three walks over one-third of an inning.
A 2023 All-Star, D¨ªaz saved 28 games in 32 chances last season but often endured complicated appearances. He posted a 3.99 ERA in 60 games but saw his strikeout rate drastically diminish as he had trouble throwing strikes.
Since he has Minor League options remaining, D¨ªaz is a possibility to open the season at Triple-A Louisville.
When asked if D¨ªaz was still the Reds' closer entering the season, Francona was non-committal.
¡°I think we want to make sure he¡¯s got his legs under him with delivering and everything," Francona replied. "We know what he can do. We just want to make sure he¡¯s ready to do it.¡±
Without D¨ªaz locked in, Cincinnati has six of eight bullpen spots spoken for with right-handers Emilio Pag¨¢n, Scott Barlow and Tony Santillan and left-handers Brent Suter, Sam Moll and Taylor Rogers.
For the final two spots, four relievers remain in camp in D¨ªaz, Graham Ashcraft and non-roster pitchers Ian Gibaut and Joe La Sorsa. Another candidate, Lyon Richardson, was optioned to Louisville on Thursday morning.
Ashcraft, who was competing in camp for a rotation spot, was told Thursday he was being switched to a bullpen role. He had been part of the starting five since 2022.
¡°I¡¯m excited about it," Ashcraft said. "It¡¯s something that¡¯s been going around for a while. When they originally called me up, that was what they kind of wanted me to do. Then I just had to fill a role when [Connor] Overton got hurt in 2022. That just kind of stuck. I'm ready to see what it¡¯s like. I feel like my personality type, I¡¯m going to fit it pretty well. We¡¯ll roll with the punches, get it going and see what happens.¡±
Originally scheduled to start vs. the Royals on Thursday afternoon, Ashcraft instead entered from the bullpen to begin the top of the fifth inning. He worked three scoreless innings with one walk and two strikeouts while throwing 31 pitches (19 strikes). His lone baserunner was erased in the sixth when Nelson Vel¨¢zquez grounded to third base for an inning-ending double play.
In 15 starts and 77 1/3 innings last season, Ashcraft was 5-5 with a 5.24 ERA. He spent July 8 through the end of the season on the injured list with a right elbow strain.
Ashcraft's only previous experience as a reliever came in a few outings while in college.
¡°The adrenaline rush is awesome. I¡¯m excited to experience that side of it," Ashcraft said. ¡°Instead of having to go out there and manage letting stuff rip for seven innings, now I can go out there and do it in one or two innings. It will be fun to see what happens to the stuff.¡±