The Cincinnati Reds have signed Luke Weaver to a one-year contract, according to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. He will receive a $2 million base salary for the season. He will add experience and depth to their rotation, and enhance some competition in spring training. The seven-year veteran was not offered a contract by the Seattle Mariners who had claimed him in October off waivers from the Kansas City Royals.
Starter Again
The 29-year-old will be given the opportunity to earn a spot in their starting. He has mentioned that he wants to prove he can be a quality starter again. Last year he worked exclusively out of the bullpen for the Arizona Diamondbacks and then after a trade to the Royals, but over his seven-year career he has 81 starts.
Competition
Graham Ashcraft, Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo are most likely going to fill the top three starting slots for this young Reds rotation. Weaver is expected to compete with Justin Dunn, Vladimir Gutierrez and Connor Overton for a spot in the backend of the rotation as a fourth or fifth starter.
Arm Injuries
Arm injuries have unfortunately become a recurring issue for Weaver since 2019. He has missed notable portions of three of the last four seasons. His only season as a fully healthy starter came in 2020, and that was the shortened season. He made only 13 starts in 2021 due to a strained shoulder. Last season he missed significant time with inflammation in his throwing elbow.
What He Brings
The Cincinnati Reds have signed of Luke Weaver, and they are hoping he is healthy and can provide quality innings. He is ready to show off his fastball, which is his top pitch. It was hitting 95 mph last season. He also made improvements with his slider, and last season it was working with confusing both left- and right-handed hitters.
If he fails to make it as one of their starters out of spring training, he will be seen as a long reliever. He also might get an occasional start. It is also possible that if any of the starters struggle, his time in the bullpen would be a short-term move.
Trade Deadline
The Reds are unlikely to be in the playoff picture in 2023, and Weaver’s deal is only for one year. If he is healthy and pitching well, it certainly makes him an obvious midseason trade candidate. It would more than likely be to a contender looking for a pitcher that can be a starter or a reliever.
More Cincinnati Reds Articles
More MLB Articles
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
- Category
-
Cincinnati Reds
