The Cincinnati Reds are in agreement on a one-year deal with free agent relief pitcher Pierce Johnson, a source told The Enquirer’s Gordon Wittenmyer on Jan. 11.
The deal is pending a physical, the source said.
Relief pitcher Pierce Johnson went 3-3 with a 3.05 ERA in 65 games for the Atlanta Braves last season. Pierce, 34, had 59 strikeouts in 59 innings pitched with 19 walks.
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Johnson is an eight-year veteran who pitched for the Atlanta Braves for the past 2 1/2 seasons. Last season, Johnson posted a 3-3 record with a 3.03 ERA in 65 games. He struck out 59 batters in 59 innings, finishing 13 games and posting one save.
Johnson was one of the Braves’ key setup men for closer Raisel Iglesias.
In his career pitching for five teams, Johnson has posted a 3.79 ERA over 330 games, going 21-24 with 16 saves.
Johnson, 34, had a 2.91 ERA in 2 1/2 seasons with the Braves, pitching 139 innings over 147 games with three saves.
Johnson joins a remade Reds bullpen that lost swingman Nick Martinez and workhorse relievers Scott Barlow and Brent Suter.
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The Reds began the rebuild by re-signing closer Emilio Pagan and then reaching a deal with free agent left-hander Caleb Ferguson. Johnson and Ferguson should be high-leverage relievers along with Tony Santillan.
Other bullpen options are Graham Ashcraft, Connor Phillips and lefty Sam Moll with youngsters Luis Mey and Zach Maxwell potentially making the team.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Pierce Johnson signing with Reds to bolster bullpen