Like every team, the Cincinnati Reds are allowed a 26-man active roster and a total of 40 players, but they aim to keep even more options available—especially in their pitching staff.
At Triple-A Louisville, the Reds have surrounded top pitching prospects Rhett Lowder and Chase Petty with seasoned veterans who have Major League experience. Given the unpredictable nature of pitching rotations, the team wants reliable backup choices ready for when—more likely than if—members of their starting rotation or bullpen become unavailable.
Among those veteran options are left-handed reliever Joe La Sorsa, who has appeared in the majors with the Rays and Nationals, and right-hander Wade Miley, a 13-year MLB veteran. To convince them to accept minor league assignments, the Reds agreed to give each pitcher an opt-out clause—allowing them to leave the organization if they weren’t promoted to the big-league roster by a certain date.
That date is today.
A Mixture Of Youth And Experience
Both Joe La Sorsa and Wade Miley have the option to opt out of their minor league contracts with the Reds on June 1st—and reports suggest they both plan to exercise that right.
Miley, 38, returned to the Reds on a minor league deal this past offseason as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery, which limited him to just two appearances with the Brewers last year. His time with Triple-A Louisville has shown signs of rust—he’s posted a 5.92 ERA over 13.2 innings in four starts, striking out only seven. A former All-Star in 2012 with the Diamondbacks, Miley previously pitched for the Reds from 2020 to 2021. The team had hoped he could bring veteran stability as he regained form.
La Sorsa, 27, isn’t returning from injury, but rather seeking a real opportunity. He debuted with the Rays amid their roster churn in 2023 before being claimed by the Nationals. Across 50.1 innings between 2023 and 2024, he recorded a 4.47 ERA and 4.61 FIP. With Louisville, he’s delivered a solid 3.92 ERA and held opponents to a .181 average in 21 appearances. Still, a 1:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio points to some limitations, as his mid-90s fastball hasn’t been overwhelming hitters.
Neither pitcher has shown quite enough to earn a call-up to the Reds just yet. Still, the organization would likely have preferred to keep both as depth options, with a long season still ahead.
Reds Need More Depth, Not Less
In reality, the Reds’ biggest concerns lie with their offense.
Matt McClain is struggling badly as he attempts to bounce back from a missed 2024 season, and Jeimer Candelario appears to be a lost investment. As a result, the Reds are currently depending on an offensive surge from newcomers Austin Hays, Jose Trevino, and Gavin Lux—production that may not be sustainable. Until Noelvi Marte is ready to return, there aren’t many promising internal options to call up for help at the plate.
Still, the Reds also need pitchers who can eat innings—especially since young arms like Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo have already dealt with serious injuries early in their careers. Meanwhile, Brandon Williamson, Carson Spiers, and Julian Aguiar are all on the 60-day injured list. The reality is that injuries will happen—because they always do.
With a bullpen ERA sitting at 4.15 and having moved on from former closer Alexis Díaz, the Reds are keen to keep viable depth around for when opportunities arise. But La Sorsa and Miley aren’t obligated to wait for those chances—and it looks like they won’t. That potentially puts Alan Busenitz back in line for a promotion.
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