Reds Bullpen Quietly Emerging as Top Unit in National League

Cincinnati's revamped relief corps has been a key factor in the team's strong start to the 2026 season.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 9:07pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a Reds relief pitcher in mid-delivery, with his body and motion broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes in a vibrant color palette of red, blue, and white.The Reds' bullpen has emerged as one of the most dominant units in the National League, with a trio of relievers leading the way.Arlington Today

The Cincinnati Reds have quietly built one of the best bullpens in the National League this season. After struggling with their relief pitching last year, the Reds made several offseason additions that have paid off, with the bullpen leading the NL in ERA through the first 17 games. The Reds have a dominant late-inning trio of Graham Ashcraft, Tony Santillan, and Emilio Pagán, while other newcomers like Brock Burke and Connor Phillips have also been impressive.

Why it matters

The Reds' bullpen struggles were a major factor in their inability to make a postseason push last year. By addressing those issues in the offseason and building one of the league's top relief corps, the Reds have given themselves a much stronger chance of contending in 2026.

The details

The Reds added several new arms to their bullpen, including Caleb Ferguson, Brock Burke, Pierce Johnson, and Kyle Nicolas. This revamped unit has paid dividends, as the Reds lead the National League with a 2.77 bullpen ERA through 17 games. The late-inning trio of Graham Ashcraft, Tony Santillan, and Emilio Pagán has been particularly dominant, with Ashcraft and Santillan emerging as shutdown setup men and Pagán locking down the ninth inning.

  • Through 17 games this season, the Reds' bullpen has a 2.77 ERA, leading the National League.
  • Ashcraft, Santillan, and Pagán have formed a dominant late-inning trio for the Reds.

The players

Graham Ashcraft

A key member of the Reds' bullpen, Ashcraft has allowed just six hits and two earned runs over nine innings this season while striking out 13 batters.

Tony Santillan

Santillan has been the best pitcher in the Reds' bullpen so far, allowing just two hits over eight shutout innings to begin the season.

Emilio Pagán

The Reds' closer, Pagán has converted four saves and recorded a win over his last six appearances, allowing just one hit and five walks during that stretch.

Brock Burke

A new addition to the Reds' bullpen, Burke has allowed just one run over 7 1/3 innings this season.

Connor Phillips

Another newcomer to the Reds' relief corps, Phillips has allowed five hits and three runs over 10 1/3 innings to start the year.

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What’s next

The Reds will look to continue their strong bullpen performance as they aim to make a postseason push in 2026.

The takeaway

The Reds' revamped bullpen has been a key factor in their strong start to the 2026 season, as they've built one of the top relief corps in the National League. This addresses a major weakness from last year and gives the team a much better chance of contending for a playoff spot.