The Cincinnati Reds have bolstered their pitching rotation by acquiring right-handed pitcher David Buchanan from the Philadelphia Phillies. According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, the trade involves Buchanan heading to Cincinnati in exchange for cash considerations.
Though the MLB trade deadline has passed, it only restricts trades involving players on the 40-man roster. Transactions involving minor league players who aren’t on the 40-man roster are still permissible, allowing the Reds to address their urgent need for pitching by tapping into the Phillies’ farm system.
The Reds’ current rotation is under significant strain, with only Julian Aguiar and Nick Martinez as active starters. The situation worsened when Nick Lodolo was placed on the injured list, with manager David Bell indicating that Lodolo’s finger injury might keep him sidelined for the rest of the season. Additionally, Andrew Abbott and Hunter Greene are also on the injured list, leaving the Triple-A Louisville Bats with just three semi-regular starters. This dire situation necessitated the Reds’ move to bring in Buchanan.
David Buchanan, a 35-year-old veteran, brings a wealth of experience from both domestic and international leagues. A decade ago, Buchanan spent parts of two seasons in the majors with the Phillies, making 35 starts. After spending 2016 in Triple-A with the Phillies’ Lehigh Valley affiliate, Buchanan pursued opportunities abroad, 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 his final outing with the Phillies organization, Buchanan delivered seven shutout innings in a spot start for High-A Jersey Shore.
Known as a groundball pitcher, Buchanan’s 49% groundball rate this season exceeds the MLB average of 42%. His performance has shown notable home/road splits, with opponents slugging .504 against him at home compared to .420 on the road. He allowed 10 home runs in 12 home games, but only three in 10 road games.
Buchanan’s pitching arsenal is diverse, featuring a four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, cutter (his most frequently used pitch), changeup, curveball, and slider. His fastball generally sits around 91 MPH, with the cutter around 88 MPH. His changeup and slider operate in the low 80s, while his curveball sits in the mid-70s.
With Buchanan now in the fold, the Reds hope he can provide the much-needed depth and stability to their injury-riddled rotation as they push through the remainder of the season.
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