In a surprising turn of events, the Philadelphia Phillies have parted ways with experienced right-handed pitcher David Buchanan, who was recently acquired by the Cincinnati Reds. According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, Buchanan requested his release from the Phillies, leading to the team’s decision to grant it and allow him to explore other opportunities.
While the MLB trade deadline has passed, restrictions only apply to trades involving players on the 40-man roster. Transactions involving minor league players who aren’t on the 40-man roster, such as Buchanan, can still occur. The Cincinnati Reds, in urgent need of pitching depth, took advantage of this loophole to bolster their rotation by acquiring Buchanan from the Phillies in exchange for cash considerations.
The Reds have been facing a severe shortage of healthy starting pitchers, with only Julian Aguiar and Nick Martinez currently available in their rotation. The situation worsened when Nick Lodolo was placed on the injured list, with manager David Bell suggesting that Lodolo’s finger injury could keep him sidelined for the remainder of the season. With Andrew Abbott and Hunter Greene also on the injured list, and the Triple-A Louisville Bats struggling with just three semi-regular starters, the Reds were in desperate need of reinforcement, prompting the move for Buchanan.
David Buchanan, a 35-year-old veteran, has enjoyed a diverse career spanning both domestic and international leagues. He spent parts of two seasons in the majors with the Phillies a decade ago, making 35 starts. After spending 2016 in Triple-A with the Phillies’ Lehigh Valley affiliate, Buchanan pursued opportunities overseas, pitching in Japan from 2017 to 2019, and then in Korea from 2020 to 2023. He returned to the U.S. in 2024, re-signing with the Phillies.
This season, Buchanan primarily pitched for the Phillies’ Triple-A team in Lehigh Valley, where he posted a 9-3 record with a 4.82 ERA across 16 starts and six relief appearances. Over 102.2 innings, he allowed 119 hits, issued 33 walks, and struck out 78 batters. In what would be his final outing with the Phillies organization, Buchanan delivered seven shutout innings in a spot start for High-A Jersey Shore.
Buchanan is known for his ability to generate groundballs, boasting a 49% groundball rate this season, which is above the MLB average of 42%. His performance this season has shown significant home/road splits, with opponents slugging .504 against him at home and .420 on the road. He allowed 10 home runs in 12 home games but only three in 10 road games.
Buchanan’s pitching repertoire includes a diverse array of pitches, including a four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, cutter (his most frequently used pitch), changeup, curveball, and slider. His fastball typically sits around 91 MPH, while the cutter hovers around 88 MPH. His changeup and slider both operate in the low 80s, while his curveball sits in the mid-70s.
The release of Buchanan comes as a surprise, especially considering the Phillies’ need for depth in their pitching staff. However, with Buchanan’s request for release, the Phillies respected his wishes, allowing him to move on and seek other opportunities. The Reds, meanwhile, hope that Buchanan can provide the much-needed depth and stability to their injury-plagued rotation as they push through the remainder of the season.
Leave a Reply