The Cincinnati Reds are getting an important piece of their bullpen back.
The team activated right-handed reliever Tony Santillan from the injured list on Friday. Santillan had been sidelined since June 23 with a left oblique strain.
Santillan was pitching some of his best baseball of the season before the injury. He allowed just four hits and one earned run over eight innings in his final eight appearances before landing on the IL.
The right-hander also looked sharp during his rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville, striking out five batters across three perfect appearances.
To make room for Santillan on the active roster, the Reds optioned right-hander Zach Maxwell to Triple-A Louisville.
Aug 17, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez (28) hits a double in the eighth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Eugenio Suarez reached a major career milestone on Thursday, recording his 1,000th career RBI with a pinch-hit single in the ninth inning against the Cardinals.
Suarez became just the ninth active player to reach 1,000 RBI and the ninth player in MLB history to accomplish the feat while playing for the Reds. He is the first Reds player to reach the milestone since Joey Votto in 2021.
The 35-year-old is slashing .208/.289/.413 with 43 extra-base hits in 97 games this season.
Aug 20, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds outfielder Dane Myers (17) catches a fly out hit by St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Blaze Jordan (not pictured) in the ninth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Reds appeared to be building some momentum coming out of the All-Star break, winning 13 of their first 19 games. That momentum has faded over the past two weeks. Cincinnati is just 5-9 since that stretch and enters Friday 18-15 overall since the break.
It has been another frustrating stretch for a team that opened the season 20-11 and entered May nine games over .500 and in first place in the NL Central. The Reds haven't been at .500 since June 5 and now sit six games under .500, seven games out of the final NL Wild Card spot and a season-high 18 games back in the division.
They'll start a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Friday night. Nick Lodolo will start on the mound for the Reds.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/reds/onsi as Reds Get Major Bullpen Reinforcement Ahead of Weekend Series .
