Reds upgrade bullpen with southpaw Ferguson (source)

The Reds are in agreement on a contract with veteran left-hander Caleb Ferguson, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, giving themselves another southpaw for their bullpen mix.

The club has not confirmed the signing.

Ferguson recorded a 3.58 ERA over 70 appearances between the Pirates and Mariners in 2025, with 51 strikeouts over 65 1/3 innings. He started the season in a variety of roles in the Pirates’ bullpen, including being used as a middle reliever, a lefty specialist and an occasional leverage arm at different points during his four months in Pittsburgh. He was dealt to Seattle at the Trade Deadline, and he settled into more of a middle-relief, lefty-specialist role.

Ferguson pitches off his fastballs, with almost all of his offerings last season being either a four-seamer, a cutter or a sinker. He also mixes in a high-spin slurve that held hitters to a .208 batting average in 2025.

Ferguson has seven years of Major League experience under his belt, five of which were spent with the Dodgers. He was traded to the Yankees before the 2024 season, and then subsequently dealt to the Astros that July before landing in Pittsburgh as a free agent last year. He has made 333 career appearances (14 starts).

He made three appearances this past postseason with the Mariners, where he allowed five runs over 2 2/3 innings.

The Reds’ bullpen is very right-handed, with Sam Moll being the only lefty reliever on the 40 man roster. Moll split time last year between Cincinnati and Triple-A and recorded a 6.38 ERA in 18 1/3 innings in the Majors.

Ferguson held left-handed batters to a .184 batting average and .465 OPS last season. Right-handed hitters did fare marginally better, hitting .263 with a .718 OPS.

The bullpen in general was also in need of some improvement and depth this winter. The Reds re-signed closer Emilio Pagán to a two-year, $20 million contract on Dec. 4, and Tony Santillan and Graham Ashcraft should be set-up men again, but the unit needed more middle relief and depth to bridge the gap to those late-inning arms. The Reds finished 14th in the Majors in 2025 with a cumulative 3.89 relief ERA, but they blew 22 saves.

The Reds’ roster is currently at 39 players, so they will not have to make a corresponding move for Ferguson once the deal is finalized.