CINCINNATI – Ahead of their first series of the season vs. the National League Central-leading Brewers, the Reds got some reinforcements for their bullpen on Monday.
Reliever Pierce Johnson (right elbow inflammation) was activated from the 15-day injured list. Cincinnati also selected the contract of right-handed reliever Julian Garcia from Triple-A Louisville, while it optioned righty Zach Maxwell back to Louisville and designated righty Chris Paddack for assignment.
Johnson last pitched for the Reds on May 26, when he worked two-thirds of an inning against the Mets. In a one-game rehab assignment with Louisville as its opener on Friday, he allowed one run and two hits over one inning vs. Gwinnett.
"I feel really good," Johnson said on Sunday at Yankee Stadium before he was activated. "It was a good outing ... [and] it's a great crew down there. ... I really appreciate all the care they've given me and how we've gone about it. We've been really cautious."
It's been a long wait filled with some detours for the 31-year-old Garcia before he could finally realize his big league dream. After being a 10th-round pick of the Phillies in 2016, he topped out at Triple-A by '21 and spent '22 back in Double-A before being released.
“I believed it from day one. I think that’s why I kept grinding to kind of get to this point," Garcia said.
Garcia spent 2023 out of baseball completely, and he used the time to throw bullpen sessions while also making money giving pitching lessons to youth players.
“Kind of just had a mental reset, and that’s just what I needed to say that I need to get back and I love this game. I know that I can still play. I just needed someone to give me a shot. Last year, the Reds did.”
In 2024, Garcia landed in independent ball with Kansas City of the American Association, and he pitched well into '25 in winter ball in Puerto Rico. He was eventually signed by Cincinnati in the middle of last season and went to Double-A Chattanooga.
“I just fell in love with the game again," he said. "I think [independent] ball gets a bad rep, but it’s a place where guys find themselves a place to go play when nobody’s calling."
This season with Louisville, Garcia was 3-0 with a 3.03 ERA in 21 games (two starts). In June, he has a 0.73 ERA in six appearances (including both of his starts this season), as he has allowed one run in 12 1/3 innings with 17 strikeouts.
“Pretty cool story," manager Terry Francona said. "The kid went back to independent ball, has really done just about anything and everything you could ask of somebody. I think we felt like he was very deserving of a shot. He’s just done really well. It will be kind of fun to see how he fits in.”
Garcia was at the airport in Atlanta on Sunday as the Louisville club was preparing to fly home. That's when Bats manager Pat Kelly came up to him in the TSA PreCheck line and delivered the good news.
“I got told during the security line," Garcia said. "I was stunned, you know? You always see videos of guys getting called to the locker room or different things happening. I didn’t really have a second to just breathe. I was trying to catch the flight. I got my bags out of security and whatever. I went to call my Dad on Father’s Day. It was an unbelievable call.”
In nine appearances since he was called up from Triple-A on May 23, Maxwell went 0-1 with a 7.00 ERA. Control has been his primary issue, as he has permitted eight walks in nine innings in that span. He had three straight scoreless outings, but then he gave up a run in each of his last two games – including a loss on June 14 vs. Arizona.
Paddack was signed by the Reds on May 13 after the Marlins released him on May 10. With the Reds, Paddack made six appearances (three starts) and he went 0-2 with a 6.04 ERA. He last made an appearance for the Reds on Wednesday when he allowed two runs in 4 1/3 innings of long relief against the Mets.