If the Cincinnati Reds are serious about cleaning up the late innings, the move that ends up mattering most this winter might not be a player signing at all. After the Pittsburgh Pirates parted ways with longtime pitching coach Oscar Marin, the Reds scooped him up to help run their bullpen — a quiet hire with a chance to pay loud dividends. Cincinnati badly needs another trusted left-handed reliever, and Marin walks in the door with a built-in connection to one who makes a lot of sense for this roster.
That reliever is Tim Mayza, a name that won’t light up the hot stove headlines but should light up the Reds’ front office group chat.