In a crushing development for the Cincinnati Reds, the team has suffered another major blow to their pitching staff, as two of their key arms—relievers Ian Gibaut and veteran Wade Miley—have been sidelined with season-ending injuries.
First off, Ian Gibaut, originally secured by the Reds on a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training, sadly won’t contribute for the remainder of the year. Gibaut, who struggled through the 2024 season due to persistent forearm and calf injuries, had regained health and re-joined the organization. After showing enough in camp, he earned a spot on the Opening Day roster and delivered middle-relief innings, though he allowed four earned runs in a tough late-inning appearance against San Francisco. Unfortunately, he has now again been cut down—this time by a debilitating shoulder injury that requires season-ending intervention.
To trace his path: 31-year-old Gibaut joined Cincinnati in mid‑2022 via waivers, and after a modest 4.67 ERA over 33 appearances, he blossomed in 2023. That year marked his most successful campaign, with a 3.33 ERA over an impressive 75⅔ innings across 74 outings. However, the momentum was short-lived. A nagging forearm nerve issue emerged in spring 2024, necessitating surgery in May. He managed only two late-season relief innings before being non‑tendered in November. Still, the Reds gave him another opportunity with a minor league pact in January 2025, and he rewarded them by making the big league club. Sadly, just as things were looking up, a shoulder problem has sprung up, instantly invalidating his chances to pitch this season, giving the reclamation project yet another abrupt endpoint.
Next, veteran left‑hander Wade Miley is facing his own tough break. A former All‑Star and long-time arm in the big leagues, Miley signed with Cincinnati at the tail end of January on a minor league deal. That contract included a June 1 opt‑out clause—perfectly timed given his comeback from Tommy John surgery in May 2024. Over seven starts in Triple‑A Louisville, though, he posted an underwhelming 8.84 ERA with a 1‑2 record and 32 hits allowed in 19⅓ innings, prompting the opt-out, which he exercised on June 1, 2025, becoming a free agent.
Surprisingly, just a few days later, the Reds re-signed him—but this time to a major league deal—when ace Hunter Greene landed on the injured list with a groin strain. This presented Miley with an unexpected shot at a spot in the major league rotation . But before he could capitalize on the opportunity, history repeated itself: Miley suffered a flexor-pronator strain in his throwing arm and was placed on the 15-day injured list as of mid-June (retroactive to June 17), effectively ending his 2025 campaign.
This setback carries substantial ripple effects. Reds pitching coach Derek Johnson and manager Terry Francona lamented the team’s fragile state as injuries mounted—a sentiment echoed in the rise of top pitching prospect Chase Petty, who was rushed onto the active roster in Miley’s wake. The rotation is already contending with the absence of Hunter Greene, Carson Spiers, Rhett Lowder, Julian Aguiar, Brandon Williamson, and even Nick Martinez, who has struggled in recent outings. Consequently, Cincinnati pulled Brian Van Belle from Boston’s Triple‑A affiliate, banking on him as an emergency reinforcement.
Now, with Miley shut down once more, that allocation spot goes to Connor Phillips. Meanwhile, speculation swirls around whether Chase Burns—another promising arms talent—will make his debut soon. The Reds are nearly depleted in starting pitching, and the loss of Miley only intensifies that acute deficiency.
What This Means for the Reds:
- Bullpen Affliction: Gibaut’s season-ending shoulder injury deprives the Reds of critical middle-relief depth. His late-season presence last year, plus his mid-2025 recall, had bolstered their pen plans. His absence leaves a void.
- Rotation Strain: Miley, who had been shaping into a potential fifth starter after Tommy John, will now miss the rest of the year. That eliminates a rotation candidate and further stresses a roster already without Greene, Spiers, Lowder, Williamson, Aguiar, and Martinez.
- Prospect Spotlight: Players like Connor Phillips, Chase Petty, and even Chase Burns might see promotions, potentially pitching in high-leverage roles sooner than planned. But such moves carry risks for both performance and injury if rushed.
- Trade Deadline Uncertainty: The Reds may feel pressure to pursue starting pitchers ahead of the July trade deadline. With their current mix of inexperienced arms, they may target veterans like Jake Irvin or Michael Lorenzen as stopgaps.
Conclusion
In summary, the Reds now lose two pivotal pitchers—mid–season bullpen glue Ian Gibaut and veteran swingman Wade Miley. Gibaut’s forearm and calf issues led to surgery and a shoulder setback that now ends his year; Miley’s roster shuffle culminated in a flexor strain that shuts him down. Both injuries, arriving mere weeks apart, intensify a crisis of depleted pitching depth. For a club already struggling with injuries to its top rotation arms, this means potential roster shakeups, urgent promotions, and possible offseason acquisitions to prevent a pitching shortfall from derailing the season.
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