This move may surprise Reds fans.
The Cincinnati Reds made a roster move on Sunday that may surprise fans. The team announced that right-handed pitcher Tejay Antone was reassigned to minor league camp. The roster move comes just over a week before Opening Day.
Why may the Reds' decision to reassign a pitcher with a 7.94 2026 spring training ERA be surprising? When healthy, Antone has displayed serious signs of potential in his career. At 32 years old, it seemed as if Antone was set to play a role in the Reds' bullpen this year. That could still happen, but Cincinnati's decision on Sunday means Antone will not make the Opening Day roster.
Tejay Antone Reassigned to Reds' Minor League Camp
Antone made his big league debut in 2020. He pitched in 13 games that season, recording four starts. Overall, he turned in a strong 2.80 ERA. It seemed as if he was set to become an impactful MLB pitcher.
He continued to find success in 2021 while pitching out of the bullpen. Antone recorded a 2.14 ERA across 23 outings during the '21 campaign. Injuries have since impacted his career, though.
The right-handed hurler missed all of 2022 due to injury. Antone made a total of nine big league appearances in 2023 and 2024, and he did not pitch in MLB in 2025.
The Reds gave him another opportunity during 2026 spring training. Antone's struggles led to Sunday's surprising decision, though.
While it is true that his promising potential can be clouded at this point given the recent injury history, Antone is still a pitcher who could end up making an impact at the MLB level again. The Reds are not giving up on him. If they were, they would simply release or trade him. Cincinnati is keeping Antone, and the team is hopeful he can get back on track soon.
At the moment, Antone is preparing to go to minor league camp. His potential remains, but it is not certain if he will be able to find his early-career form. Only time will tell.
Perhaps Antone will receive a promotion to the big leagues at some point during the season. The Reds would surely love to give him another regular season opportunity if it makes sense.
As for the Reds, they are playing the Seattle Mariners in spring training on Sunday. They will continue to make difficult roster decisions with Opening Day drawing near.