Nick Krall is currently riding a wave of success with a string of impressive moves. The Cincinnati Reds President of Baseball Operations made another addition to the roster Thursday morning, securing former New York Yankees pitcher Albert Abreu on a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training, according to FanSided’s Robert Murray.
Abreu, who didn’t pitch in the majors last season, spent the year with the Seibu Lions in Japan’s NPB, posting an impressive 2.39 ERA over 49 innings. Now, he’s returning to the U.S. to bolster the Reds’ bullpen. This follows a busy week for Krall, who also brought in Taylor Rogers from the San Francisco Giants in a trade and signed Ian Gibaut to a minor-league deal.
Abreu, 29, has significant big-league experience, with over 100 career appearances. After originally signing with the Houston Astros as an international free agent in 2014, he was traded to the Yankees in 2016 as part of the deal that also brought seven-time All-Star Brian McCann to Houston.
He made his major-league debut in 2020 with the Yankees, and after stints with the Rangers and Royals, he returned to New York in 2023. Throughout his career, Abreu has posted a 4.58 ERA in 108 appearances.
Albert Abreu
The Reds’ bullpen, which had been a weakness after trading Fernando Cruz, has seen significant upgrades with these recent signings. The competition for the bullpen spots this spring will be fierce, with key relievers like Rogers, Alexis Díaz, Sam Moll, Tony Santillan, Brent Suter, and Emilio Pagán almost guaranteed spots. Abreu will compete for one of the remaining roster spots, going up against non-roster invitees like Gibaut, Zach Maxwell, Bryan Shaw, Alex Young, and others.
With so many options vying for limited spots, the battle for the Reds’ bullpen is shaping up to be one of the most exciting aspects of their spring training this year.
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