At the end of June, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Tony Santillan met with Reds manager David Bell, pitching coach Derek Johnson and GM Nick Krall about what the rest of his season would look like.
Santillan, the Reds No. 9 prospect at the time, had filled in the Reds’ starting rotation in June and posted a 3.78 ERA with 20 strikeouts in four starts. But when the rotation got a few starters back from the injured list, Santillan was optioned to Triple-A.
Before he left for Louisville, the Reds coaching staff and front office told him that he’d be a relief pitcher going forward this season.