After reaching the playoffs in 2025, the Cincinnati Reds aren't trying to give up their seat at the table. In their latest free agency moves, the Reds took a page out of the Atlanta Braves' playbook to bolster their bullpen.
Cincinnati has signed relief pitcher Pierce Johnson, via John Heyman of the New York Post. The terms of his agreement are not yet known.
The right-hander made 65 appearances for the Braves in 2025, putting up a 3.05 ERA and a 59/18 K/BB ratio. It follows the 3.67 ERA and 67/25 K/BB ratio Johnson put up in his first year with Atlanta. Throughout his entire eight-year MLB career, the right-hander holds a 3.79 ERA and 379/141 K/BB ratio over 315.2 innings.
The Reds have plenty of intriguing pieces in their bullpen, headlined by closer Emilio Pagan. Still, Cincinnati finished their 2025 campaign ranked 14 in bullpen ERA with a 3.89 mark. While things could obviously be worse, the franchise knows they'll need to improve to compete in the National League.
Johnson won't make the Reds World Series contenders overnight. But he is an underrated option for a team looking to make some noise in the playoff race. With Scott Barlow now a free agent, Cincinnati should expect Johnson to fill a similar role. They'll want him to maximize his innings will limiting the base runners.
In the grand scheme of the Reds' offseason, the relief pitcher's signing may fall under the radar. But at the same time, it wouldn't shocking to see Johnson come up clutch in some crucial late innings moments. Cincinnati is now counting on it.
