Justin Bruihl played a solid part to the Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen for multiple years prior to being traded to the Colorado Rockies at the deadline last season.
The 26-year-old opened the year with a strong showing through May 16, posting a 2.53 ERA, 2.51 FIP, 0.94 WHIP and .220 batting average allowed. He provided the Dodgers with a steady left-handed option, aside from a few multi-run appearances in the following weeks.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts credited Bruihl with how solid he performed for the staff despite often being shuttled to and from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
“Can’t say enough about him, how he’s handled the elevator and not let it affect performance,” Roberts said during the 2023 season. “I think there’s life to the ball now, there’s a confidence there, there’s an edginess. We’re lucky to have him. Very lucky to have him.”
A roster crunch forced the Dodgers to capitalize on Bruihl’s solid stretch leading up to the All-Star break and it resulted in trading him to the Rockies for cash considerations.
In 15 games with Oklahoma City, Bruihl went 5-2 with a 2.04 ERA and one save.
Justin Bruihl 2023 highlight
From June 29-July 25, Bruihl posted a 3.38 ERA, 3.63 FIP and 1.00 WHIP.
That run was enough for the Rockies to take a gamble on him, but the low velocity ways of Bruihl and the elevation of Coors Field weren’t a good mix.
2024 outlook
The Cincinnati Reds signed Bruihl to a Minor League contract that includes a non-roster invite to Spring Training.
The Reds currently have Alex Young and Sam Moll as their left-handed relief options at the Major League level, but with a solid amount of experience, Bruihl could make a push to earn a spot on their roster if injuries occur.
Bruihl’s biggest trouble comes against right-handed hitters, which could pose issues if the Reds value bullpen arms that can effectively induce outs in opposite-handed matchups.
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