Reds Sign Veteran Pitcher After Career-Best Season

January 12, 2026 , , , , ,
Atlanta Braves pitcher Pierce Johnson pitches during 2025 game.

The Cincinnati Reds are adding another veteran arm to the bullpen, with right-hander Pierce Johnson reportedly agreeing to a deal after the Atlanta Braves declined their option. 

Cincinnati wants more stability in the late innings after last season ended with a Wild Card exit and this will give them that.

Pierce Johnson gives Cincinnati a proven leverage option

Johnson, 34, just put up a 3.05 ERA over 65 appearances in 2025 with the Atlanta Braves, and he’s been a steady major-league reliever for years with a career 3.79 ERA across 330 games. 

It's his best MLB season since the 2020 season, where he recorded a 2.70 ERA, but only pitched 20 innings compared to the 59 innings he pitched this past season.

He also brings a very specific look, leaning extremely hard on his curveball, which MLB.com noted he threw more than 70 percent of the time in each of the past two seasons, pairing it with a mid-90s four-seamer up in the zone. 

Over his eight-year MLB career, the 34-year-old holds a solid 3.79 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, with 379 strikeouts across 315.2 innings and 330 appearances.

The Reds keep stacking bullpen answers as 2026 takes shape

This move fits the Reds’ recent trend of building up their relief depth, and it gives them another experienced righty who can slide into meaningful spots depending on matchups and workload. 

Even without the contract details being public yet, Johnson’s recent track record makes him a nice add for a club trying to turn close games into wins more consistently.  

Photo Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images 

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