ESPN: The Red Sox sign Yankees flamethrower in a blockbuster deal as bullpen depth.

Right now, Nick Krall is having an incredible hot run. This week, the Cincinnati Reds President of Baseball Operations has signed a number of players, and on Thursday morning, he added another. Former New York Yankees pitcher Albert Abreu has agreed to a minor-league contract with the Reds, which includes an invitation to spring training, according to Robert Murray of FanSided.

Abreu spent the previous season overseas as a member of the Seibu Lions bullpen rather than pitching in the major leagues. The right-handed pitcher will return to the United States to further bolster Cincinnati’s bullpen corps after posting a 2.39 ERA in 49 innings.

As bullpen depth, the Reds sign former Yankees flamethrower Albert Abreu to a minor league contract.
On Wednesday, the Reds acquired left-hander Taylor Rogers from the San Francisco Giants and signed longtime mainstay reliever Ian Gibaut to a minor league contract. Over the past several days, the Reds bullpen—which was a big worry after dealing away Fernando Cruz—has received a significant lift.

The 29-year-old Abreu joins the Reds bullpen with more than 100 big league games under his belt. Abreu signed with the Houston Astros in 2014 as an international free agent. In 2016, he was traded to the Yankees along with seven-time All-Star Brian McCann, a former big league catcher.

According to a source, right-hander Albert Abreu is joining the Reds on a minor league contract. An invitation to spring training is part of the package.

The user @ByRobertMurray is Robert Murray. January 30, 2025
Only two games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season marked Abreu’s first appearance on The Show. Later, the right-hander was dealt for current Reds catcher Jose Trevino to the Texas Rangers. Before going back to the Bronx in 2023, Abreu pitched for the Yankees, Rangers, and Kansas City Royals in 2022. Abreu has a 4.58 ERA in his 108 major league outings overall.

The fight for the eight relief positions in the Reds’ bullpen this spring is likely to be fierce. Rogers, Emilio Pagán, Sam Moll, Brent Suter, Tony Santillan, and Alexis Díaz are very certain to start the season on the active squad if healthy. Abreu will now be up against non-roster invitees Gibaut, Zach Maxwell, Bryan Shaw, and Alex Young, as well as Casey Legumina, Carson Spiers, and others, for the final two roster places.