SURPRISE, Ariz. -- The last time that the Reds claimed a National League Central title in 2012, a considerable amount of their success stemmed from the fact that they had multiple arms at the back end of their bullpen that were adept at locking down games.

Manager David Bell sees his current collection of arms as a similarly top-notch group, capable of slotting into any inning or situation presented.

“I really believe in the back end of our bullpen,” Bell said. “I think the experience that they gained last year is really going to help a lot.”

During Saturday’s 7-2 loss to the Royals, closer Raisel Iglesias and fellow right-handed relievers Michael Lorenzen and Pedro Strop took the hill and combined for four scoreless innings and eight strikeouts, five of which were notched by Lorenzen.

Bell said Saturday that he doesn’t see his relievers slotting into specific innings roles, aside from Iglesias, whom he has cemented as the club’s closer. Following two rocky appearances to begin Cactus League play in which he yielded a combined six runs (two earned) in 1 2/3 innings, Iglesias looked sharp vs. the Royals, tossing a 1-2-3 frame that was bookended with a pair of strikeouts.

While the 12 losses and 4.16 ERA from last year jump off the page, a deeper look indicates that Iglesias may have just been at the mercy of some bad luck.

The duo of Iglesias and Lorenzen ranked second and third in the Majors, respectively, in average home run distance allowed last season -- essentially, they were done in by a combination of ballpark factors and home runs that fortuitously got over the wall.

• Lorenzen not content with breakout in 2-way role

That 2012 Reds bullpen posted a 2.65 ERA, the best mark in the Majors. While there’s much to be improved before reaching that mark, many members return from the 2019 bullpen that compiled a 4.28 ERA (13th in the Majors).

“The back end of our bullpen had a great experience last year pitching in a ton of close games,” Bell said. “They did a great job. I think the experience of so many stressful games was a great thing for them to go through. We learned a lot about each of our guys, by just managing the workload and how pitching in close games is different than pitching in a blowout.”

With strong back end of the bullpen contributions comes great expectations, which that Bell isn’t shying away from. He recognizes what a lockdown relief corps could provide, saying, “The idea is to win a lot of games.”

Sonny in Surprise, thoughts in Tennessee
Right-hander Sonny Gray worked around traffic on the basepaths in his first two frames Saturday but was sunk by allowing three runs in the third inning. He finished his afternoon after 2 1/3 innings, having allowed three runs on five hits and one walk while striking out three.

Gray spoke after his outing of how the home run that he surrendered came on a changeup, a pitch that he threw just 4.7 percent of the time last season. But while it led to an undesirable outcome in that at-bat, he did get Royals slugger Jorge Soler to swing and miss at the pitch to polish off his performance.

But more pressing on Gray’s mind were the recent tornadoes that have affected his hometown of Nashville.

“It was pretty devastating there,” Gray said. “A lot of people that I know have been directly affected.”

The outpouring of support has been so voluminous that the city has reportedly been turning volunteers away.

“Nashville’s a very resilient city,” Gray said.

Newest GABP addition
There are numerous delectable staple items available at Great American Ball Park throughout the year. But as ballpark food has evolved, some stadiums are going well outside the box to deliver new and unique flavors.

The S’mores Frybox that is coming to GABP is definitely one of a kind. Complete with crispy fries, marshmallows, cinnamon graham crackers and M&M’s, all topped with chocolate syrup, the club’s newest item is sure elicit a strong reaction that ranges from those diametrically opposed to, or those overwhelmingly in favor of the new treat.

Up next
The Reds will pull double duty for the second consecutive day as they wrap up a two-game set in Las Vegas on Sunday vs. the Cubs, while another group welcomes in the Angels to Goodyear, Ariz. Both games are set for first pitch at 4:05 p.m. ET, with Vladimir Gutierrez on the hill in Vegas, while Trevor Bauer eyes his third straight scoreless spring outing in Arizona. Los Angeles will send former Reds right-handed reliever JC Ramirez to the mound. Fans can watch the Las Vegas contest on MLB.TV, while listening to the meeting vs. the Halos on Gameday Audio.