Who Could Replace Derek Johnson as the Reds’ Pitching Coach?

The Cincinnati Reds have made a coaching change, as president of baseball operations Nick Krall announced Thursday that pitching coach Derek Johnson would not return in the 2027 season. 

Johnson left the team to go on a leave of absence for personal reasons on June 5 and never returned. The Reds never gave an update on Johnson until October 1, so the assumption from June until now is that Johnson would not return. 

The veteran coach came to Cincinnati with former Reds manager David Bell in October of 2018 and produced a top-10 rotation in terms of ERA in his first two seasons, as he was able to turn Sonny Gray back into a top pitcher in the league and bring out the best in Trevor Bauer, who won the Cy Young in the shortened 2020 season. 

Over the next three seasons, Cincinnati ranked 20th or worse, with 2024-2025 sitting right around league average. 

Johnson came to Cincinnati from the Milwaukee Brewers, but now won’t return to the Reds next season. 

The new pitching coach will arrive at a Cincinnati Reds organization in disarray. The starting rotation, in particular, is uncertain as Brady Singer’s future with the team remains unclear. Hunter Greene has an injury he will be rehabbing through much of 2027, and Nick Lodolo posted one of the worst years of his career in 2026 while working through his blister issue. 

However, ace Chase Burns and lefty Andrew Abbott will provide some semblance of consistency in 2027. 

Who are some candidates to replace Johnson and lead the Reds next season? 

Los Angeles Dodgers assistant pitching coach Connor McGuiness could also be a candidate, having held that role since December 2019 and helping lead LA to three World Series titles, working with guys like Clayton Kershaw, Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, and others. 

A promotion from within would be surprising, as much of the fanbase wants an outside influence in basically every leadership role. Assistant pitching coach Matt Tracy and bullpen coach Oscar Marin took over while Johnson was out. The Reds' rotation’s poor finish to the season doesn’t point to giving either of them a chance at the full-time job. 

Maybe a new face on the coaching staff can infuse the Reds' rotation with confidence, which could look very different next season. Part of me thinks Francona will hire someone he knows and has played or coached with before, but it’s important the Reds hire the best person for the job.