The Cincinnati Reds have faced some tough injury news in recent weeks. Hunter Greene will miss the first several months of the 2026 season after undergoing arthroscopic elbow surgery, and now Nick Lodolo is expected to miss at least two weeks with a blister on his left index finger.
These setbacks have forced the Reds to shuffle their starting rotation twice, creating potential ripple effects for the bullpen.
Originally planning to carry six starters on the Opening Day roster, Cincinnati now needs an extra reliever to help maintain balance in the pitching staff.
Enter Jayvien Sandridge, recently designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels, who could present an ideal low-cost solution for the Reds.
Sandridge, a left-hander, spent several seasons in the Reds’ minor-league system from 2021 through 2023 before moving through three other organizations.
Most recently, he was on the Angels’ 40-man roster but was DFA’d to make room for veteran Joey Lucchesi.
Sandridge has limited MLB experience, pitching just two-thirds of an inning for the Yankees last season while allowing two runs before being optioned back to Triple-A.
Despite his late arrival to the majors, he’s known for a mid-90s fastball, plus slider, and splitter, racking up 319 strikeouts over 210 minor-league innings since 2021—a 33.5% strikeout rate.
However, his performance is offset by a high 17% walk rate, yielding a 4.06 ERA and 4.08 FIP in the minors.
Still, the Reds could find value in Sandridge’s minor-league options, which allow roster flexibility at the start of the season.
With Greene and Lodolo sidelined, Cincinnati will likely need to shuttle relievers between the majors and Triple-A, and Sandridge could fill that role efficiently.
By acquiring him and possibly DFA’ing Sam Moll, the Reds would gain a strikeout-heavy lefty with options, giving them both versatility and bullpen depth at minimal cost while leveraging a player they know well.
