Tejay Antone Has Gone From Inspirational Story to Bullpen Mainstay

Despite so many setbacks, Antone has become one of the more reliable options for the Cincinnati Reds Bullpen.

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Tejay Antone (70) pumps his fist after getting out of the eighth inning of the MLB Interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Houston Astros at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Friday, May 8, 2026. The Reds lost the series opener, 10-0. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tejay Antone wasn't someone the Cincinnati Reds expected to be getting big outs for the major league club in 2026. After his third surgery on his arm, it was easy to wonder if Antone would be able to pitch again.

After 12 appearances with the Louisville Bats to start the season and a 2.25 ERA, the Reds added Antone to the 40-man roster and brought him back to the team in what was a surprising move. Though that alone could've been a successful story, Antone has gone on to become arguably the best active right-handed reliever the Reds currently have in the bullpen.

With all the injuries the Reds have dealt with, particularly out of the bullpen, Tejay Antone has been given another chance to chase his dream and has taken full advantage of the opportunity.

Through all the ups and downs of his career, Tejay Antone has made the second-most appearances of his MLB career in 2026. That could be more of an issue for the Reds than a success for Antone, but regardless, he is not being seen as a miracle story. He's needed for the Reds' bullpen to get outs.

In 14 innings pitched, Antone has registered one win, a save, 14 strikeouts, just four walks, and 12 hits. All things considered, with the current state of the Reds' bullpen, you will take every bit of this productivity you can get.

Sporting just a 1.14 WHIP is also impressive for a guy who hasn't been on a mound in the majors since 2024. Though his advanced numbers show a fair amount of his success is luck, it feels like he has done a solid job picking up where his professional career left off.

Going into the weekend series vs the Arizona Diamondbacks, Antone has a chase % of 35, which, if he qualified, would be amongst Baseball's best, while he's also been excellent with a 61% ground-ball rate, and just a 6.7 walks percentage.

Antone has used a 6-pitch mix throughout the season. He's throwing his sweeper 49% of his pitches, followed by his cutter at 22%, and his Curveball at 14%. He does occasionally use a four-seamer, sinker, and slider, but isn't using these anywhere near as much as his top two pitches.

The Reds may not have expected to need Tejay Antone this season, but with all the bullpen issues they have had, he has been a sight for sore eyes. The big hope is that he can continue to pitch as well as he has. Regardless of whether he does or doesn't, the fact that he's even pitching for Cincinnati is a success given all he has been through.