Garrett says he’s ready to close games for Reds
Early forearm soreness won’t keep him from role, veteran lefty says.
The veteran lefty says he’s only competing against himself for the role and that a forearm strain early in camp won’t be a factor.
Cincinnati Reds reliever Amir Garrett, who has battled forearm soreness this spring, felt almost close to normal after a
bullpen session last week, putting him on track to start the season healthy and ready on April 1. He threw another bullpen session Wednesday.
“As a baseball player, you have these little nagging pains or injuries or aches,” Garrett said last week, “and mine is nothing serious like that, but it’s a relief (to
pitch again). I was a little dinged up, but I’m good to go. You’ve always got to take precautions, so you don’t make it something bigger than what it is.”
Garrett had not pitched in a Cactus League game this spring, but manager David Bell said Wednesday he could pitch in a game this weekend.
“April 1, I’ll be ready,” Garrett said. “Call me April 1. I’ll be there. Don’t worry about it. I’ll get it done.”
Garrett began the spring as one of the top candidates to take over the closer’s role. He had a career-best 2.45 ERA in 21 games last season. Raisel Iglesias led the team with eight saves. The Reds traded him to the Los Angeles
Angels in December.
Early in spring training, not long after the Reds signed veteran closer Sean Doolittle, Garrett talked about the closer’s role and whether he felt it was his
job to lose.
“I feel like it’s still mine,” Garrett said. “I’m not competing with anybody. I’m competing with myself. That’s the only person I’m competing with. My teammates are going to do what they’re going to do. I’m going to elevate this team as much as I can. I’m going to challenge this team as much as I can, the people in the bullpen as much as I can. I’m going to push them and that’s all I’m going to do, but as far as competing, I’m only competing with myself.”
This will be Garrett’s fifth season in the big leagues. He knows the closer’s role would be different from what he experienced in his first four
seasons, though he did earn one save last season.
“You want to come in and shut the door,” he said. “All eyes are on you. You’ve got to get the last three outs. It’s me versus the hitter, and you want to do as much as you
can for the team to solidify that win. It was definitely different last year. I felt it. Even though it wasn’t as pretty as I hoped it would be, I got the job done. I got the first one under my belt. It was like the first time I ever dunked a basketball. It’s going to become a domino effect. I’m going to be able to do it over and over and over again.”
NOTES: The Reds improved to 4-9 in the Cactus League with a 12-7 victory against the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday. Luis Castillo made his second start and threw three scoreless innings. He has not allowed a run in five innings this spring.
Nick Castellanos hit his second home run. Mike Freeman, who the Reds acquired from the Indians last week, also hit a home run. Eugenio Suarez made his second straight start at shortstop and made an error in the second straight game.
Contact this reporter at 937-244-7400 or email david.jablonski@coxinc.com.