red army rescuer Ian Gibbert He has been activated from the 60-day injured list and sent directly to Triple-A Louisville, according to MLB.com’s trade log. The right-hander was on the IL with a right shoulder impingement. Guibault has more than three years of service time, so he could decline an outright appointment in favor of free agency.
The 31-year-old played parts of four seasons for the Reds from 2022-25. In 137 2/3 innings with Cincinnati, he had a 3.92 ERA, a roughly average strikeout rate of 22.5%, and a below-average walk rate of 9.3%. The highlight of Gibbault’s career was the 2023 season. In 75 2/3 innings of the Reds’ bullpen, he had a 3.33 ERA and a slugging percentage of only 31.8%, which was far lower than the 38.2% average of the league’s qualified relievers that year. Unfortunately, Gibbault would only make two appearances the following season as he underwent surgery for a nerve problem in his forearm. The Reds did not tender him in November 2024, but re-signed him to a minor league contract in January 2025.
This year, Gibbault appeared in 25 games and played 25 1/3 innings, with an ERA of 4.62, but he didn’t hit many at-bats, and his strikeout rate was only 13.2%. Some of that can be attributed to injuries, as his season was interrupted by two separate trips to Illinois, the first in late April. Gibbault also appears to be cutting back on stuff, as his average fastball velocity dropped from 95.2 mph in 2023 to 94.0 mph in 2025 (he pitched just two innings in 2024). However, he still performed well in limiting hard contact, with a hard hit rate of 33.7%. He also lowered his walk rate to 7.3%, which was above the league average.
While the move prevents him from making the Reds’ 40-man roster, there’s a good chance that Gibbault will play a middle-relief role in 2026 if he chooses to stay with the team. Emilio Pagan and swingers Nick Martinez Is a free agent. at the same time, Scott Barlow and Brent Suter Both have club options, although Barlow’s $6.5MM option may prevent him from returning. Gibaut earned a more affordable $1.3MM in 2025 and should earn a similar amount (if not slightly less) in 2026. He could be controlled through arbitration until 2027.
