Junis declined his $8 million mutual option for 2025 on Friday and became a free agent.
Junis put up a career-best 2.69 ERA and 0.85 WHIP across 67 innings between Milwaukee and Cincinnati last season. Rather than accepting an $8 million salary for 2025, the 32-year-old will cash in a $3 million buyout and seek a more lucrative multi-year deal on the open market.
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Reds' Jakob Junis: Allows two runs in no-decision
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Junis did not factor into the decision in Wednesday's 5-2 loss to the Guardians, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk with three strikeouts over five innings.
Junis shook off a leadoff homer by Steven Kwan and mostly pitched well, throwing 48 of 72 pitches for strikes. The 32-year-old has completed at least five innings while yielding two earned runs or fewer in each of his last four starts. He'll finish the season with a 2.69 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 51:8 K:BB across 67 innings with the Brewers and Reds.
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Reds' Jakob Junis: Start pushed back to Wednesday
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Junis has been scratched from Tuesday's start versus the Guardians due to personal reasons and will start Wednesday's series finale in Cleveland instead, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Carson Spiers is now scheduled to start Tuesday, with Junis getting an extra day in between starts. Junis has been terrific over the last month for the Reds, allowing just three runs with an 18:1 K:BB over 23.2 innings covering four starts and one relief appearance.
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Reds' Jakob Junis: Gets no support
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Junis didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against Atlanta, allowing one run on two hits with no walks across six innings. He struck out six.
Junis retired the first 11 batters and final nine batters he faced during the start, but back-to-back doubles in the fourth inning threw a wrench in his otherwise perfect day. In his last five outings (four starts), Junis has a 1.14 ERA and an 18:1 K:BB across 23.2 innings. He's tentatively scheduled to face the Guardians in Cleveland his next time out.
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Reds' Jakob Junis: Sharp again in no-decision
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Junis didn't factor into the decision Thursday against the Cardinals, allowing one run on three hits over five innings. He struck out three.
Masyn Winn's home run in the third inning was the lone mark on Junis' line Thursday. The right-hander's been excellent in his last two starts with Cincinnati, allowing just one run on four hits over 10 innings, though he's ultimately come away with no-decisions in both outings. Overall, Junis is 4-0 on the season with a 2.73 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 42:7 K:BB across 56 innings between the Reds and Brewers. He's currently lined up for a home matchup with Atlanta next week.
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Reds' Jakob Junis: Strong start wasted Saturday
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Junis came away with a no-decision in Saturday's 4-0 loss to the Mets, allowing one hit and one walk over five scoreless innings. He struck out five.
The veteran right-hander was locked in a pitchers' duel with Jose Quintana, but the Reds bullpen fell apart as soon as Junis exited the game. His 73 pitches and five innings both represented high marks this season, and Junis has been exceptional in his swingman role lately, posting a 1.23 ERA, 0.50 WHIP and 17:1 K:BB in 22 innings over his last nine appearances (two starts) since Aug. 7. Junis will look for his first win since July 28 in his next trip to the mound, which lines up to come on the road next week in St. Louis.
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Reds' Jakob Junis: Drawing start Saturday
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Junis will start Saturday's game against the Mets, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Junis was expected to serve as the bulk reliever behind Fernando Cruz on Friday, but the Reds instead had Brandon Williamson fill that role. Junis is now set up for a start Saturday, after he had previously piggybacked Williamson in the latter's 2024 Reds debut this past Sunday versus the Brewers. The right-hander has worked four and 3.2 innings in his last two outings, so he has an outside chance at working deep enough into Saturday's start to qualify for a win.
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Reds' Jakob Junis: Piggybacks Williamson on Sunday
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Junis covered 3.2 innings in relief in Sunday's 4-3 win over the Brewers in 11 innings, giving up one earned run on two hits and no walks. He struck out one batter.
Junis tossed four scoreless innings in his first start as a member of the Reds his last time out Tuesday against the Athletics, but he shifted back to the bullpen Sunday while the Reds added Brandon Williamson (shoulder) to the rotation. Since Williamson (66 pitches, 3.1 innings) wasn't fully stretched out in his return from the 60-day injured list, Junis (62) ended up taking on a similar workload while piggybacking him. Even with Williamson's return, the Reds still have only four healthy starters at the moment, so Junis could be needed for a spot start or bulk-relief appearance during next weekend's series with the Mets.
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Reds' Jakob Junis: Tosses four perfect frames Tuesday
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Junis did not factor into the decision in Tuesday's 5-4 loss to the Athletics, striking out three across four perfect innings.
With multiple Reds starters on the shelf, Junis earned his first start since April 2 and cruised through four frames while generating eight whiffs on 43 pitches. Although the 31-year-old hasn't reached 50 pitches in an appearance this season, he owns a 3.19 ERA and 1.02 WHIP and tentatively lines up to face the Brewers on Sunday.
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Reds' Jakob Junis: Making start Tuesday
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Junis will start Tuesday's game against the Athletics, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.
Junis' first appearance of the season with the Brewers back on April 2 was a start, but all 17 of his outings since then have come in relief. He has often gone multiple innings in those appearances, so while he won't be used as a one- or two-inning opener, Junis also isn't stretched out for a normal start. With Nick Lodolo (finger) joining Hunter Greene (elbow) and Andrew Abbott (shoulder) on the injured list, Junis could be needed for more starts beyond Tuesday.
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Reds' Jakob Junis: Traded to Cincinnati
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The Reds acquired Junis, outfielder Joey Wiemer and cash considerations from the Brewers on Monday in exchange for right-hander Frankie Montas, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Junis will presumably join the Reds as a long reliever, though he has 111 career MLB starts under his belt and could be an option for the rotation later on this season if injuries test Cincinnati's starting depth. He's excelled over his 26 innings with the Brewers this season, posting a 2.42 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with 19 strikeouts over 26 innings in 10 appearances.
Junis improved to 3-0 on the season after striking out a batter and working around one hit and one walk over three scoreless innings of relief in Wednesday's 3-2 win over the Cubs.
The Brewers essentially deployed two bulk relievers as part of their bullpen game Wednesday. Opening pitcher Rob Zastryzny covered the first inning and gave up one run, with Bryse Wilson following him with four innings of one-run ball before Junis took the hill in the bottom of the sixth. With the Brewers breaking a 2-2 tie on Willson Contreras' RBI double in the top of the ninth, Junis was credited with the win when Joel Payamps came on in the bottom of the inning to close the game. Junis has now scooped up wins in three of his last four multi-inning relief appearances, but the Brewers don't seem compelled to have him fill the open spot in their five-man rotation. Instead, the club looks content to get by with bullpen days when a fifth starter is needed until one of Joe Ross (back) or DL Hall (knee/forearm) is ready to return from the 60-day injured list.
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Brewers' Jakob Junis: Covers three innings Saturday
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Junis tossed three innings out of the bullpen in Saturday's 6-4 loss to the Padres, giving up two runs on four hits and no walks while striking out two.
Though it might not have been manager Pat Murphy's plan heading into the day, Junis essentially piggybacked starter Carlos F. Rodriguez, who was pulled from the contest after laboring through four innings and racking up 72 pitches. Meanwhile, Junis -- who was making his first appearance since April 2 following his recent reinstatement from the 60-day injured list -- was far more efficient, needing just 39 pitches to record nine outs while largely steering clear of damage until Kyle Higashioka took him deep in the seventh inning for a two-run home run. With Rodriguez now 0-3 with a 7.30 ERA through his first three big-league starts, it wouldn't be surprising if the Brewers optioned him to Triple-A Nashville to open up a starting spot for Junis, who had previously been part of the Opening Day rotation before landing on the shelf in April.
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Brewers' Jakob Junis: Reinstated from IL
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The Brewers activated Junis (shoulder) from the 60-day injured list Friday.
After winning a spot in Milwaukee's Opening Day rotation, Junis made only one start before being placed on the IL with a pinched nerve in his throwing shoulder. A few weeks later, his recovery was delayed after he was hit in the head by a ball during batting practice. Two months later, Junis will finally return to Milwaukee's active roster after he covered 4.1 innings over two rehab appearances with Triple-A Nashville before throwing a four-inning simulated game earlier this week. The right-hander is expected to work out of the bullpen as a long-relief option for now before eventually re-entering the rotation. Bradley Blalock was optioned to Double-A Biloxi in a corresponding move.
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Brewers' Jakob Junis: Looking at relief role initially
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Junis (shoulder) will be activated from the 60-day injured list for this weekend's series in San Diego, but he could be used in relief initially, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
Officially, the Brewers are saying Junis' role is to be determined. However, they've already listed Bryse Wilson, Colin Rea, Carlos F. Rodriguez and Tobias Myers as their four starters for the series with the Padres. Rodriguez would seem to be the most at risk of losing his rotation spot, so Junis could end up replacing him if Rodriguez falters in Saturday's start. The right-handed Junis threw four innings in a simulated game earlier this week, so he's stretched out for a possible long-relief appearance this weekend.
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Brewers' Jakob Junis: Expected to join team in San Diego
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Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Monday that Junis (shoulder) is expected to return from the 60-day injured list during the team's four-game road series against the Padres that begins Thursday, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Junis will meet the team in San Diego, barring any discomfort following his simulated game in Arizona on Monday. The 31-year-old has been on the injured list since April 6 with a right shoulder impingement and had his return further delayed when he was struck in the head by a ball during the Brewers' April 22 batting practice session. He looks to have recovered from both injuries, however, and appears to be on the cusp of a return to the major-league roster. Given that Junis already built up to four innings in a sim game prior to Monday's outing, he should be a candidate to join the Brewers' depleted rotation this weekend.
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Brewers' Jakob Junis: Could join Brewers next week
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Junis (shoulder) will pitch another sim game in Arizona on Monday before potentially joining the Brewers roster, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
The Brewers embark on a seven-game West Coast road trip Monday, playing three games in Los Angeles and four in San Diego. Already in Arizona, Junis could rejoin the team during that stretch, though it's unclear if he'd immediately return to the rotation or would be eased in with a bullpen role. The 31-year-old was moved to Arizona from Triple-A Nashville due to velocity concerns and most recently threw a four-inning simulated game Wednesday.
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Brewers' Jakob Junis: Simulated game set for Wednesday
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Junis (shoulder) will throw a four-inning simulated game Wednesday in Arizona, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
Junis made a 2.1-inning rehab start Saturday with Triple-A Nashville, but his velocity wasn't where he and the Brewers hoped. If his velocity bounces back during Wednesday's simulated game, it's possible he could be cleared to return from the 60-day injured list next week. Junis has been sidelined since early April, first with a right shoulder impingement and then with a head injury that occurred when he was hit by a ball during batting practice. The Brewers could have a spot in their injury-ravaged rotation available for Junis once he returns from the IL, though the team may prefer to ease him back into the mix in a multi-inning role out of the bullpen.
