Reds reinforce roster with fresh arms after yesterday’s blowout loss to Boston

Two up, two down.

Back in the go-go days of the 2023 season, the Cincinnati Reds peaked at 10 games over the .500 mark at just about the same time they seized 1st place in the National League Central division.

It just so happened that those events circled the July 31st trade deadline, and instead of making the kind of season-altering ‘big splash’ acquisition that many hoped for, Nick Krall & the Reds front office settled on the addition of Oakland reliever Sam Moll.

Sam Moll!

It wasn’t Moll’s fault that the rest of the Reds collapsed down the stretch and missed the playoffs, but it’s hard not to remember the two events coinciding. Maybe, just maybe, the addition of Moll in 2025 will help tell a much, much more enjoyable tale.

The Reds officially activated Moll on Tuesday, and when the lefty enters play again it’ll be the first time we’ll have seen him at the big league level since back on April 6th. Moll was joined on the roster by the selection of righty Sam Benschoter as the Reds looked to refresh their bullpen after Chase Burns lasted exited in the 1st inning of yesterday’s start against the Boston Red Sox.

Joe La Sorsa and Connor Phillips, who both pitched yesterday (and were somewhat shelled) were optioned to AAA Louisville to make way on the active roster.

Tucked into the bottom of that announcement was the addition of Noelvi Marte to AAA Louisville. Marte had been rehabbing with AA Chattanooga and there was some thought he’d be activated today, though rain interrupted much of his time with the Lookouts and apparently the Reds decided he needed just a bit more time. The Lookouts are on the road in Birmingham this week while the Bats are at their home stadium against Indianapolis, so it’s likely the Reds opted to keep Marte at home of their ‘home’ locations rather than send him out on another MiLB road trip.

Either way, I’d expect him to be back on the Reds roster in short order, at which time we’ll see how manager Terry Francona juggles his corner infield rotation.

Finally, the Reds have reportedly brought back old friend Buck Farmer on a minor league contract. Doug Gray of Redleg Nation helped relay the news, and I’d wager Buck would be in the mix for the Benschoter role the next time the Reds need to make the kind of roster shuffle they’ve made today. Farmer, of course, was pretty dang solid for the Reds in his most recent stint with the club, though he’s been knocked around quite a bit at the AAA level so far in 2025.