Angels' Hunter Strickland: Takes loss in rough outing
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Strickland (3-2) took the loss against the White Sox on Tuesday, allowing three runs on two hits and one walk while retiring one batter.
Strickland entered in the eighth inning following seven scoreless frames by starter Jack Kochanowicz. Strickland was able to retire the first batter he faced but then gave up a pair of doubles and a walk to result in a run. Brock Burke came on in relief for the veteran hurler and gave up two more hits, which allowed another pair of runners to cross the plate. Though he wasn't charged with a blown save, the outing didn't help Strickland's case for grabbing any remaining save opportunities in an Angels bullpen that doesn't have a clear closer following Ben Joyce's shoulder injury and subsequent placement on the injured list.
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Angels' Hunter Strickland: Notches 11th hold
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Strickland earned a hold against the Rangers on Saturday, allowing one hit in a scoreless inning of work.
Strickland entered in the sixth inning and worked around a one-out walk to keep Texas off the scoreboard. It was the sixth straight scoreless outing for the veteran right-hander, who has posted a 7:1 K:BB over six innings during that span. Strickland has 11 holds on the campaign, his most since 2019.
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Angels' Hunter Strickland: Getting chance to close, blows save
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Strickland was charged with a blown save Thursday versus the Rockies after he allowed two runs on a hit and a walk during the ninth inning. He had one strikeout.
The 35-year-old recorded his first save of the season in Tuesday's series opener and was called upon again Thursday, but he gave up a two-out, two-run homer to Jake Cave to tie the game at 4-4. Ben Joyce seemed poised to take over as the Angels' closer after the trades of Carlos Estevez and Luis Garcia, but manager Ron Washington has instead turned to the veteran Strickland. According to Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register, Joyce is still considered the club's closer of the future, but Strickland will receive first crack at the ninth inning until Washington feels Joyce is ready for the job. Even including Thursday's blown save, Strickland has pitched well this season with a 3.35 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 42:14 K:BB across 51 innings.
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Angels' Hunter Strickland: Grabs first save
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Strickland struck out one in a perfect inning to earn the save in Tuesday's 10-7 win over the Rockies.
Strickland got the first save after the trade deadline, which saw the Angels ship out Carlos Estevez to the Phillies over the weekend and Luis Garcia to the Red Sox earlier Tuesday. Strickland has limited experience as a closer -- his career high for saves in a year is 14 with the Giants in 2018, and he logged seven saves over 66 appearances with the Reds in 2022 before failing to appear in a big-league game in 2023. It's unclear if Strickland will get a chance to run with the closer role, though he's pitched well this year with a 3.06 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 41:13 K:BB over 50 innings while adding six holds. Ben Joyce also figures to be in the mix, but he worked in the eighth inning Tuesday in a high-leverage spot against the middle of the Rockies' order.
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Angels' Hunter Strickland: Contract selected
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The Angels selected Strickland's contract from Triple-A Salt Lake on Monday.
Strickland didn't make the team as a non-roster invitee after pitching well this spring, but he'll receive an early-season promotion. The veteran reliever will likely operate in the middle innings.
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Angels' Hunter Strickland: Sent to Triple-A
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The Angels reassigned Strickland to Triple-A Salt Lake on Thursday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
Strickland had been in the hunt for a spot in the Angels' Opening Day bullpen while attending spring training as a non-roster invitee, but Anaheim ultimately couldn't make room on the 40-man and 26-man rosters for the journeyman reliever. His minor-league deal with the Angels doesn't contain an out clause, so he'll head to Salt Lake with the hope of performing well and eventually earning a call-up to Anaheim.
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Angels' Hunter Strickland: Links up with Angels
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Strickland signed a minor-league contract with the Angels on Friday.
Strickland's contract includes an invitation to big-league camp, so he will have a chance to earn his way onto the 26-man roster. He did not pitch in the majors last season and was hit hard at the Triple-A level, but the club is hoping familiar surroundings help get the former Angel back on track is his age-34 season.
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Hunter Strickland: Released by Cincinnati
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Strickland was released by the Reds on Tuesday, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Strickland had been lit up for 14 earned runs on 13 hits and 12 walks through 11 innings of relief this season at Triple-A Louisville. The 34-year-old right-hander is now a free agent and will look to latch on with a new organization.
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Reds' Hunter Strickland: Returns to Reds on minors deal
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Strickland re-signed Monday with the Reds on a minor-league contract, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.
Strickland was released over the weekend after failing to make the Opening Day roster but will ultimately remain in the organization as relief depth at Triple-A Louisville. The veteran reliever posted a 4.91 ERA with seven saves for the Reds last season.
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Hunter Strickland: Released by Reds
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Strickland was released by the Reds on Saturday.
Strickland appeared in 66 games for the Reds last season and saved seven of them, but that came with a well-deserved 4.91 ERA. He returned as a non-roster invitee this spring but failed to earn a spot.
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Reds' Hunter Strickland: Back with Reds as NRI
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Strickland signed with the Reds as a non-roster invitee Saturday.
Strickland saved seven games for the Reds last season, though he likely wouldn't have matched that total with many other clubs. His 4.91 ERA looks fair according to his 4.78 FIP, and both his 21.1 percent strikeout rate and 11.6 percent walk rate were unimpressive. Alexis Diaz has been named the Reds closer, and while Strickland could find his way to the back of an unproven bullpen again at some point this season, he could just as easily fail to earn a roster spot.
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Reds' Hunter Strickland: Loses hold of closer's role
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Strickland struck out two in a perfect ninth inning Wednesday in the Reds' 10-2 loss to the Mets. Manager David Bell said prior to the contest that Strickland will be moved out of the closer's role and will be deployed in different scenarios as the Reds look for him to regain top form, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
The role change comes after Strickland blew his fourth save of the season in Sunday's loss to the Brewers while surrendering at least one run for the fourth time in his last five appearances. Though Bell didn't formally name a new closer, Alexis Diaz is the most logical candidate to serve as the lead option in what could be a committee approach to save situations. Strickland's usage Wednesday in the final inning of a blowout loss would seem to suggest that his next few opportunities will come in low-leverage spots.
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Reds' Hunter Strickland: Secures seventh save
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Strickland earned the save over the Marlins on Monday, pitching one inning and allowing one run on two hits and one walk while striking out two batters.
Strickland was activated from the bereavement list early Monday and was immediately thrust back into closing duties. He came on in the ninth inning with the Reds holding a 3-0 lead and quickly ran into trouble, allowing each of the first two batters he faced to reach base. However, Strickland struck out the following two hitters before allowing a run-scoring single, and he was able to close out the contest on a flyout. The veteran has seven saves on the season, and he appears to be manager David Bell's closer of choice in spite of an unsettling 5.79 ERA and 1.63 WHIP.
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Reds' Hunter Strickland: Rejoins roster
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Strickland (personal) was activated from the bereavement list Monday.
Strickland left the team July 29 to tend to a personal matter, but he has rejoined the club and will be available out of the Reds' bullpen moving forward. Strickland was operating as Cincinnati's closer when he landed on the bereavement list, so chances are he will reclaim that role.
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Reds' Hunter Strickland: Lands on bereavement list
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Strickland (personal) was placed on the bereavement list Friday.
Strickland picked up two saves this week before allowing three runs to take a blown save and a loss Thursday against the Marlins, and he'll now step away from the Reds due to an unspecified personal situation. The right-hander can remain on the bereavement list for 3-7 days, so he should rejoin the team next week. Alexis Diaz should operate as Cincinnati's primary closer in the meantime.
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Reds' Hunter Strickland: Picks up save Wednesday
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Strickland earned a save against the Marlins on Wednesday, allowing one hit in a scoreless ninth inning.
Strickland came on in the ninth inning to protect a two-run lead and overcame a leadoff single to secure the save. The right-hander has picked up a save twice in the past four days after failing to record any saves through the first 23 days of July. Cincinnati doesn't have a clearly defined closer, but Strickland appears to be the leading candidate to close things out when the opportunity arises.
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Reds' Hunter Strickland: Serves up three-run blast
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Strickland allowed three runs on three hits -- including a home run -- over one inning Saturday against the Cardinals. He did not record a strikeout.
Lars Nootbaar turned the game into a laugher with his three-run shot off Strickland in the eighth inning. The 33-year-old Strickland remains tied for the team lead in saves with four, but he now has a 5.40 ERA and 1.65 WHIP this season. Manager David Bell figures to turn to Alexis Diaz and other younger players for saves more in the second half.
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Reds' Hunter Strickland: Collects second win Tuesday
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Strickland (2-2) picked up the win in Tuesday's 1-0 victory over the Mets, pitching a perfect ninth inning without a walk or a strikeout.
The right-hander entered a scoreless tie in the top of the ninth and needed only nine pitches (seven strikes) to knife through the bottom of the Mets' order. Strickland then got rewarded when Mike Moustakas brought home Tommy Pham with a sacrifice fly in the Reds' half of the frame. Strickland has two wins and two saves in his last four appearances, but the other win came as a result of a blown save. Despite his current assignment as Cincinnati's closer, his job security seems very low -- he carries a 5.00 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 9:3 K:BB through nine innings since the beginning of June, and that ERA doesn't account for three unearned runs.
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Reds' Hunter Strickland: Notches another save
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Strickland picked up the save Tuesday against the Cubs. He allowed one hit and zero walks while striking out one over one scoreless inning.
Strickland has now earned both of the Reds' last two saves and three of the team's last four. Granted it took injuries to Tony Santillan (back), Alexis Diaz (biceps) and Lucas Sims (back) to get him there, but for his part Strickland has pitched well since the end of April. Diaz may return as soon as this weekend, but manager David Bell could opt to reward Strickland for the stability he has provided lately and keep him in the ninth inning.
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Reds' Hunter Strickland: Looks like primary closer
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Manager David Bell intimated Sunday that Strickland is the Reds' preferred closing option, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports. "Hunter is definitely somebody that likes [closing games]," Bell said. "He thrives on it. In some ways, I think the bigger the situation, the better pitcher he's going to be. It may not always be the ninth, but I'm definitely aware of that and it works in his favor to keep getting those opportunities."
Alexis Diaz (biceps) and Tony Santillan (back) recently joined Lucas Sims (back) on the injured list, with their absences thrusting Strickland into a more prominent role out of necessity. Strickland, who claimed the Reds' most recent save chance in Friday's win over the Giants, looks like he could operate as the team's primary ninth-inning option, at least until the Reds add some healthy arms back into the mix. Of the three injured relievers, Diaz looks to be the closest to a return; he threw a bullpen session Sunday and could be activated from the IL on Friday when first eligible.
