Keegan Thompson’s comments explain why the Reds moved so quickly to sign him

Chicago Cubs pitcher Keegan Thompson | Norm Hall/GettyImagesSurprisingly, the first Major League free agent signing of the 2025-26 offseason belongs to the Cincinnati Reds. Former Chicago Cubs pitcher Keegan Thompson signed a one-year, $1.3 million deal with the Reds after spending all of last season in the minor leagues.

It's unknown exactly how the Reds are planning to use Thompson in 2026. “I don’t know if they want me to be a leverage guy, a long reliever, a one-inning guy or a multiple inning role guy,” Thompson told Cincinnati reporter Charlie Goldsmith. “If I’m a multiple inning guy, that (approach) will help me out a lot. (Pitching multiple innings) has been one of the better things…