Cincinnati Reds Send Down Struggling Reliever, Call Up Familiar Face

The Reds announced the news on Saturday afternoon.

Apr 19, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Cincinnati Reds pitcher Kyle Nicolas (62) pitches to Minnesota Twins first baseman Kody Clemens (2) in the eighth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

When the Reds announced Eugenio Suarez to the injured list and JJ Bleday was being called up for him on Saturday, it wasn't much of a surprise.

Reds manager Terry Francona spoke in detail about Suarez's injury after Friday night's win over the Detroit Tigers and told the media he'd require a stint on the injured list. JJ Bleday was pulled from Friday's game in Triple-A Louisville, so it was easy to connect the dots.

However, the Reds announced another move on Saturday afternoon as well. They sent struggling relief pitcher Kyle Nicolas to Triple-A Louisville and recalled right-handed pitcher Jose Franco.

Nicolas Needs to Work on His Command

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Kyle Nicolas (62) throws a pitch in the ninth inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the San Francisco Giants at Great American Ball Park on Thursday, April 16, 2026. The Giants won 3-0. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Nicolas has appeared in seven games for the Reds and he has shown flashes of why the Reds traded for him. However, he's also really struggled with his command. In 7 1/3 innings, Nicolas has given up seven runs on eight hits and walked an astonishing 13 batters.

Big league hitters are too good to be ablel to get away with walking that many batter. In Friday's game against the Tigers, Nicolas loaded the bases with nobody out. Luckily for him, Pierce Johnson was somehow able to get out of the inning without allowing a single inherited runner to score.

Reds President of Baseball Operations thinks Nicolas has a high upside.

“It was a guy we can get who’s a power arm and has a chance to pitch in the back of the bullpen,Krall told Charlie Goldsmith of Charlie's Chalkboard. “This is a move for now and for the future. We have a lot of guys competing for the last couple of spots. We also know we’re going to have to build our bullpen year-in, year-out. We have at the end of this year a group of guys who are going to be free agents in the bullpen.”

Jose Franco Returns

Mar 30, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Jose Franco (74) walks off the field during a pitching change in the seventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

It was a surprise when Franco made Cincinnati's Opening Day roster. However, he held his own in his three appearances with the Reds. In 5 2/3 innings, Franco gave up two earned runs with four strikeouts. He walked five.

The 25-year-old's role will likely be to mop up innings if a game gets out of hand. It would be surprising to see him pitch in a game with a tight lead.

One thing we've seen from manager Terry Francona is that he doesn't have a lot of patience for walks. Franco is someone who can provide the Reds depth and he has a track record of throwing strikes more consistently than Nicolas.

It's likely we will see Nicolas back in Cincinnati later this season. The talent is there, he simply needs to work on his command.