Photo: Doug Gray
Yesterday Yunior Marte elected to leave the Cincinnati Reds organization via free agency after he was designated for assignment, cleared waivers, and was outrighted to the minor leagues. Today right-handed reliever Lyon Richardson made the same decision. Left-handed pitcher Brandon Leibrandt, who was designated for assignment the same day as Richardson, accepted his outright to the minor leagues and will remain with the organization. Sometimes players will refuse their outright and become free agents, and then wind up re-signing with that same team on a new minor league deal. But it makes sense for many of them to check in around the league to see what’s available.
Lyon Richardson had no options to use, so when the Reds opted to add him to the 40-man roster and call him up this past week it seemed like a situation where they were going to just sink or swim with him for a bit of time because to send him down to the minor leagues it would mean designating him for assignment. That thinking was incorrect as he didn’t last more than a few days before they made the decision that they needed to try someone else.
Richardson’s performance didn’t help matters. A bullpen that wasn’t even hanging on by a single thread anymore needed someone to get the job done. In his two outings Richardson gave up five runs on two hits – both home runs – while also hitting a batter and walking two others.
If his time with the Reds is complete, he will have pitched in parts of four seasons for the Reds and posted a 6.67 ERA in 56.2 innings during that time. The 2nd round pick in 2018 out of Jensen Beach High School had a pretty good stretch to start the 2025 season while pitching out of the bullpen. In his first 20 games he had an ERA of 1.85 for Cincinnati. Things fell apart after that as his ERA in the final 14 games with the team in 2025 resulted in a 9.45 ERA.
In December the Reds needed a 40-man roster spot and designated him for assignment and he cleared waivers. They then outrighted him to the minor leagues. Since that was the first time he was outrighted he had to remain with the club, but after you’ve been outrighted once before the next time it happens a player can refuse it and become a free agent. That’s where Richardson finds himself now and he’s going to explore his options.
Brandon Leibrandt came up and pitched six innings of relief for the Reds and was then designated for assignment following the game. The 33-year-old lefty allowed five runs on 10 hits and three walks in the outing. Now he’ll go back to Louisville where he likely rejoins their rotation.
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