The 2023 season will mark exactly 20 years since a reliever last took home a Cy Young Award in either of Major League Baseball’s leagues. That honor went to the inimitable Eric Gagne of the Los Angeles Dodgers back in 2003, his dazzling 337 ERA+ and game-best 55 saves looking absurd next to his very, very nice 0.69 WHIP.
Anyway, the Cincinnati Reds have brought back reliever Hunter Strickland for the 2023 season, though this time it’s merely on a minor league contract with an invite to spring training. The club themselves announced the move on Twitter to much fanfare.