Cincinnati Reds Strengthen Bullpen by Signing Veteran Reliever Johnson

Following the departure of multiple bullpen pitchers through free agency, strengthening the relief corps was a key focus for the Cincinnati Reds' management over the offseason. Even though earlier transactions had somewhat achieved this objective, the team showed renewed determination to continue enhancing the bullpen today.

MLB’s official site reports that right-handed reliever Pierce Johnson has reached a contract agreement with the Reds. The team has yet to confirm the signing officially, with specific details to be announced pending a physical examination.

The 34-year-old Johnson spent the past three seasons with the Atlanta Braves, appearing in 65 games in 2025, recording a 3-3 win-loss record, a 3.05 ERA, and a 1.203 WHIP. The Braves declined to exercise their $7 million team option for 2026, making him a free agent.

Over his eight-year Major League career, Johnson has played for the Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies, and Braves, totaling 330 appearances with a career ERA of 3.79.

Although his career shows little difference in effectiveness against right- and left-handed hitters, last season revealed a clear split: he posted a .622 OPS against righties with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 40:3; versus lefties, his OPS rose to .800, with only 19 strikeouts compared to 16 walks.

Johnson’s standout feature is his highly effective curveball, which has always been his go-to out pitch. Since joining the Braves, his usage of this pitch has increased further—exceeding 70% usage in both the 2024 and 2025 seasons. In 2025, his curveball usage reached 72.1%, surpassing all other pitchers in the league by over 20 percentage points. Besides the curveball, he complements it with a mid-90s four-seam fastball (favoring the upper strike zone) and occasional cutters.

After last season, the Reds lost closer Emilio Pagán, right-handers Scott Barlow and Nick Martinez, and left-hander Brent Suter to free agency. In December, the Reds re-signed Pagán to a two-year, $20 million deal; a few weeks later, they also signed free-agent left-hander Caleb Ferguson to a one-year, $4.5 million contract.