Cincinnati Reds take Brandon Bailey off 40-man roster at MLB deadline to tender contracts

One year and 10 days after the Cincinnati Reds traded for right-hander Brandon Bailey, he's off the 40-man roster before throwing a pitch for the team.

Bailey, who was sidelined for the entire 2021 season because of Tommy John surgery, was briefly released Tuesday before Major League Baseball’s deadline to tender contracts to players on the 40-man roster for the upcoming season. He will return on a minor-league contract with a non-roster invitation to spring training, he confirmed in a Tweet.

"As a competitor, this one stings," Bailey wrote on Twitter. "But I'm thankful the Reds are giving me the opportunity to prove I'm healthy and show what I can do on a MiLB deal. Adversity shows one's true character and my first instinct is to get back to work! Nothing is ever given. Time to earn it." 

All other players on the Reds’ 40-man roster were tendered contracts, the club announced. There are 38 players on the 40-man roster.

The 27-year-old Bailey was Reds General Manager Nick Krall’s first trade acquisition as the head of baseball operations. Bailey pitched 7 1/3 innings for the Houston Astros in 2020, but then underwent Tommy John surgery on Feb. 26.

The Reds have 10 arbitration-eligible players and they’re expected to account for about $30-35 million toward the team’s 2022 payroll:

• Under team control through 2023 season: Outfielder Tyler Naquin.
• 2023: Reliever Luis Cessa, starter Luis Castillo, starter Tyler Mahle, left fielder Jesse Winker and reliever Amir Garrett.
• 2024: Shortstop Kyle Farmer, reliever Lucas Sims and reliever Jeff Hoffman.
• 2025: Center fielder Nick Senzel.

Garrett and Hoffman were probably the only two that carried questions about their status, but the club is already light on pitching depth. Garrett had a 6.04 ERA across 47 2/3 innings last season, but the Reds remain confident in his potential. He’s shown he can overpower the best left-handed hitters when he’s pitching well.

“This was a tough year for (Garrett),” Krall said at the GM Meetings. “He came out of the gate, he was hurt for a little bit in spring training, delayed if you will. He just never really got on track, especially at the beginning, and I think it derailed some of his season. I do think he’s a quality member of the bullpen that should be able to help us.”

Hoffman is out of minor-league options and struggled as a starter, but he posted a 3.54 ERA in 28 innings as a reliever.

“We’re going to need to rebuild some of the bullpen, there’s no question about it,” Krall said in mid-November. “Getting some quality and some depth are both important.”

Tuesday’s tender deadline was moved up one day because owners are expected to lock out the players once the sport’s collective bargaining agreement expires at 12:59 p.m. Wednesday. It would be baseball’s first work stoppage since the 1994 strike that canceled the World Series.

Among the players who were non-tendered, essentially released, were former Reds outfielder Mark Payton, Brewers first baseman Daniel Vogelbach and Detroit Tigers Opening Day starter Matthew Boyd.