Reds Sign Left Handed Bullpen Member And Left Handed Centerfielder

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The Reds signed left handed relief pitcher Caleb Ferguson, who pitched for the Seattle Mariners this past postseason

Ferguson, 29, split the 2025 season between the Pirates and Mariners, pitching to a 5-4 record with a 3.58 ERA across a career-high 70 appearances. He opened the season with Pittsburgh before being traded to Seattle for RHP Jeter Martinez on July 30.

Ferguson has pitched in the Postseason in each of the last 3 years and in 4 of his 7 Major League seasons, logging a combined 12 appearances with the Dodgers (2018, '23), Astros (2024), and Mariners (2025). He did not allow a hit in any of his first 10 career Postseason outings, the second-longest streak by a Major League pitcher at any point of his career in Postseason history.

He is a workhorse filling the void left by Brent Suter’s free agency.

Since the start of the 2023 season, Ferguson's 200 appearances rank fourth among all Major League left-handed pitchers.

Originally selected by the Dodgers in the 38th round of the 2014 first-year player draft, Ferguson has pitched in parts of 7 Major League seasons with the Dodgers (2018-20, '22-23), Yankees (2024), Astros (2024), Pirates (2025), and Mariners (2025). Born in Columbus, he is a 2014 graduate of West Jefferson High School in West Jefferson, Ohio.

The team signed JJ Bleday on Saturday (December 27). He will compete with TJ Friedl for the starting centerfield job.

Bleday, 28, slashed .212/.294/.404 with 14 homers and 17 doubles across 98 games with the Athletics in 2025. He posted a .324 batting average (22-for-68) against left-handed pitching, the third-best mark among all Major League left-handed batters with at least 60 at-bats against left-handed pitchers.

In 2024, Bleday set career highs in nearly every offensive category, including games (159), batting average (.243), runs (74), hits (139), doubles (43), home runs (20), RBI (60), and walks (67). His 43 doubles that year ranked fourth in the American League and sixth in the majors.

Bleday served as the Athletics' Opening Day starter in center field in each of the last 2 years. He's appeared in 278 career games in center field, 73 in left field, and 39 in right field.

He was selected by Miami with the fourth-overall pick in the 2019 first-year player draft, Bleday has played in parts of 4 Major League seasons with the Marlins (2022) and Athletics (2023-25). A native of Danville, Pennsylvania, he played collegiately at Vanderbilt, where as a junior in 2019 he was recognized as the SEC Player of the Year after leading all Division I batters with a program-record 27 home runs.

In a corresponding move, the Reds designated RHP Keegan Thompson for assignment. Cincinnati's 40-player roster is at capacity. Thompson signed a 1-year Major League contract on November 4 of this year.