Cincinnati Reds Relief Pitcher Has Dominant Season In Return to Organization

What a difference an organization makes.

Apr 25, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Buck Farmer (46) reacts after a play in the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Buck Farmer had a terrible season up until July 1, to say it bluntly. The 34-year-old signed with the Atlanta Braves on a minor league contract in February and was invited to spring training. Atlanta assigned Farmer to their Triple-A team, the Gwinnett Stripers, and he struggled.

In five games with Gwinnett, Farmer allowed four earned runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. His ERA was 7.71, and opponents hit .350 against him. He was subsequently released on April 15. On May 6, the Los Angeles Angels signed the veteran reliever and assigned him to their ACL squad. Farmer made his organizational debut with their Triple-A team, the Salt Lake City Bees, on May 11. He did not allow a run with one hit against him in his debut. The rest of his time with the Bees was equally as bad as his time with Gwinnett. He appeared in 12 games, allowing 16 hits, 12 earned runs, seven walks, and 11 strikeouts. His ERA was 9.00, and opponents hit .333 against him. He was released on June 17.

The Cincinnati Reds signed Farmer on July 1, reuniting with the veteran reliever who had pitched with the Major League team from 2022 through 2024. The Reds assigned him to the Arizona Complex League, where he pitched in six games, posting a 1.08 WHIP, 4.32 ERA, and a .273 batting average against him. On July 18, he was assigned to Triple-A Louisville, and that is where his season turned around. 

In Louisville, Farmer returned to the pitcher that Reds' fans remember from the previous three seasons. He posted a 1.98 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and batters only hit .168 off of him in 27 1/3 innings. He earned six saves and three holds in a late-inning relief role. At one point, it looked as if he could see a return to the Reds bullpen to help with their playoff push late in the season.

“I think coming back here and being somewhere where I'm familiar with a lot of people, staff, organization, and I think that's helped just from a comfort level,” Farmer told MiLB.com's Sean Rocca. “I think the biggest thing is Pat Kelly is just kind of showing that he believes in me and knows who I am because I've played for him for a little while, and then against him for several years, and just him showing that trust in me has been huge.”

Farmer is currently a free agent. With the success he had with the Reds' organization, it may be in both parties’ interest for another reunion.