Cincinnati Reds News: Left-Handed Reliever Returns on One-Year Contract
The Cincinnati Reds officially announced the signing of left-handed reliever Justin Wilson to a one-year, big-league contract Friday afternoon.
Wilson’s signing comes just days after he opted out of his minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was the odd man out of a bullpen including Ryan Brasier, Evan Phillips, Brusdar Graterol, Joe Kelly, J.P. Feyereisen, Ryan Yarbrough, Blake Treinen, Alex Vesia, and Daniel Hudson.
The 36-year-old impressed this spring recording nine strikeouts in four innings and returns to Cincinnati where he made 26 appearances over his last two seasons.
According to FanSided’s Robert Murray, Wilson drew interest from multiple teams and agreed to terms on a deal with the Reds almost 48 hours after opting out of his Dodgers contract. Wilson spent about a month with Los Angeles before becoming a free agent.
Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors reports Wilson will receive a $1.5 million guarantee.
The move by the Reds appears to be a direct response to Alex Young having a setback with his back injury that will land him on the injured list to start the season.
Wilson is coming off a couple of injury-marred seasons and hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2022. Then, he appeared in five games with the Reds until he underwent Tommy John surgery in June.
He signed with the Milwaukee Brewers ahead of the 2023 season and while he was warming up before his first outing in July, he suffered a lat strain that forced him to miss the remainder of the season.
Wilson has pitched in parts of 11 major-league seasons and has played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the New York Mets, the Cincinnati Reds, the Chicago Cubs, the New York Yankees, and the Detroit Tigers. He owns a record of 33-24 with a 3.41 ERA in 527 major league appearances.
