Analyzing Terry Francona's Bullpen Usage in First Win as Cincinnati Reds Manager

The Reds bullpen held on for a 3-2 win on Saturday, preserving a win in their first one-run game this season.

Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona (77) is introduced before the first inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the San Francisco Giants at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 27, 2025. The Reds led 3-0 after three innings. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI -- Reds manager Terry Francona received criticism for bringing in Ian Gibaut in the ninth inning on Opening Day to close out the game. Not only did Gibaut blow the save, but Francona left him in the game to face the next Giants hitter. Every Reds fan knows what happened next.

On Saturday though, Francona's bullpen usage was flawless. Three Reds relievers combined for three shutout innings allowing just three hits, preserving the Reds 3-2 win and Francona's first win as Reds manager.

Tony Santillan pitched the seventh inning for the Reds Saturday, his second straight game with a shutout inning to start the 2025 season. He gave up a leadoff single to Giants right fielder Luis Matos, but Santillan followed by inducing catcher Patrick Bailey to ground into a double play. Santillan got pinch hitter LaMonte Wade Jr. to fly out to Reds center fielder TJ Friedl for the final out of the inning.

After not pitching on Opening Day, Graham Ashcraft got the call to pitch the eighth inning. It was Ashcraft's first relief appearance at any level since 2019 when he was in college at University of Alabama Birmingham.

Like Santillan, Ashcraft gave up a leadoff single, but he responded by inducing a ground ball for a double play and a groundout to end the inning.

Emilio Pagan got the call for the ninth inning, and he delivered with a perfect inning. It wasn't without nervousness, though. Pagan got the second out, but it was on a very deep fly ball by Giants first baseman Wilmer Flores. Reds right fielder Jake Fraley caught it on the warning track.

Francona's bullpen usage was aided by starter Nick Lodolo getting through the sixth inning. That meant he only had to worry about the bullpen getting through the final three innings as opposed to the final four innings as was the case on Opening Day.

Santillan and Pagan both pitching for the second straight game Saturday shows Francona can rely on them, and those two right-handers should be pitching in as many games as possible.

It remains to be seen what Ashcraft's primary role will be, but he looked strong in the eighth inning today. Francona decided to call on him for the eighth inning for his first relief appearance in six years. It was still a high leverage situation but not as high leverage as the ninth inning, and it turned out to be a smart decision from Francona.

The Reds bullpen has six good innings out of the seven total they have pitched this season. If we see that level of pitching by the Reds bullpen this season, they will preserve a lot of one-run games over the course of 162 games.

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