With role in flux, Santillan focused on results

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- As he competes in Spring Training, Tony Santillan doesn’t know which role he might serve on the Reds’ pitching staff this season. More outings like his two scoreless innings in a 9-4 victory over the Giants on Sunday should help him land a spot either way.

Santillan gave up one hit and one walk while striking out three batters. He opened the second inning with a walk, followed by a single and escaped with two strikeouts and a flyout. The right-hander stuck with only two pitches -- his fastball and slider.

“It’s definitely a good spot to start. We’ll kind of move from there. I was happy with it,” Santillan said. “I came in ready to start. Obviously, it’s a lot easier to go backwards than it is to build up. I came in for a starting role but at the end of the day, I’m happy with wherever I’m at, wherever they need me.”

A starting pitcher prospect since he was selected by the Reds in the second round of the 2015 Draft, the 24-year-old Santillan reached the Major Leagues last season and posted a 2.91 ERA in 26 games over three stints.

First summoned from Triple-A Louisville to start in June, Santillan made four starts with a 3.78 ERA. He emerged as a dependable reliever, however, with a 2.36 ERA over 22 appearances -- including a 1.14 ERA over his final 19 games. He retired the first batter 19 times and stranded 11 of his 13 inherited runners.

Santillan did all of that while pitching with a sore right ankle most of the year. He had surgery to repair the injury in October.

“You’ve got to find ways to go out and perform. It wasn’t going to stop me from throwing,” Santillan said. “I couldn’t push off as well as I would have wanted to. I was a little limited. But I figured a way out.”

Reds manager David Bell and the front office will have to determine where Santillan best fits on the club. There are several contenders for the rotation’s fifth spot -- including prospects like Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo. The bullpen is in flux with multiple openings, and because of the shortened camp, Bell might need relievers capable of working multiple innings behind starters not fully stretched out.

“He looked just like he did at the end of the season,” Bell said after the game about Santillan. “Real aggressive, attacking with all of his pitches. He looks healthy. No issues with his ankle or anything like that so good day.”

Garcia makes an impression

During Saturday’s 9-3 Reds win over the A’s, backup catcher candidate Aramis Garcia made his presence known with two booming home runs. Garcia slugged a grand slam in the bottom of the first inning and a solo homer in the third.

In the offseason, the Reds signed Garcia to a Minor League contract and brought him to camp as a non-roster player. The 29-year-old spent parts of 2018-19 with the Giants and 2021 with the A’s, where he batted .205 with three homers.

“I know him well from the Giants,” said Bell, who headed that club’s player development system in 2018. “He was a top player for them, top prospect. He didn’t get the opportunity but he’s still the same player. I think he’s in a good spot where we’ll give him a good look. He has always been able to hit. I’m excited for him to work on the catching side of things. He’s very talented, and you never know what can happen.”

Tyler Stephenson is stepping up to be the everyday catcher this season. Cincinnati also has non-roster invites Andrew Knapp and Chuckie Robinson in camp with prospect Mark Kolozsvary and Minor Leaguer Chris Okey competing. Okey hit a three-run homer in Sunday’s victory.

DH doesn’t change much for bench

With the advent of the designated hitter in the National League this season, Bell did not expect the new rule to change how the club puts together its bench this spring. There also won’t be one dedicated DH with a rotation of different hitters doing it instead.

“I think we're still going to leave with our 13 best position players,” Bell said. “Everyone that makes our team, we want them to play a significant role. I don't want anyone to make our team that's strictly a pinch-hitter. The candidates, I'm thinking about them now, a lot of those guys that could make up the bench on Opening Night, play multiple positions.

“We have to make sure it's a good mix between left-handed and right-handed hitters. I don't see anyone that's going to be our Edgar Martinez as far as just being a designated hitter. That's just not the way I see it.”