The Cincinnati Reds designated right-handed reliever Ron Marinaccio for assignment on Monday, clearing a spot on the 40-man roster to select the contract of left-hander Kent Emanuel from Triple-A Louisville.
The club also named right-hander Zach McCambley the 27th man for a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Marinaccio’s brief tenure with the Reds marked his third team of the 2026 season. The 31-year-old opened the year in the San Diego Padres’ bullpen before being designated for assignment on July 19.
Four days later, the Padres traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates for international bonus pool considerations. Pittsburgh designated him again on August 3, and Cincinnati claimed him off waivers on August 6. He made four appearances for the Reds, allowing 10 runs over 5⅓ innings.
A rough stretch spanning nearly seven weeks has defined Marinaccio’s year. After posting a 3.72 ERA through 38⅔ innings by late June—with an improved walk rate and higher ground-ball percentage—he was shelled for 23 runs on 24 hits and 15 walks across his next 19 innings, including six home runs. His strikeout rate dropped sharply, and his season ERA climbed to 6.09.
Despite the recent struggles, Marinaccio entered 2026 with a solid big-league track record. He has been in the majors since making his debut with the New York Yankees on April 9, 2022.
Over his first several seasons with the Yankees and later the Padres, he delivered effective middle relief, combining a career ERA in the mid-to-high 3.00s across more than 180 innings with strong strikeout totals and occasional high-leverage work.
Command issues and a tendency to hit batters have long been part of his profile, but he had previously shown the ability to miss bats and induce grounders.
The right-hander, a former 19th-round draft pick out of the University of Delaware, is out of minor-league options. Designation for assignment places him on waivers, where another club could claim him, or the Reds could trade or release him within the allotted window.
For Cincinnati, the move reflects ongoing bullpen adjustments amid injuries and roster needs, with Emanuel providing a left-handed option from the upper minors.
Marinaccio’s journey from a productive Yankees reliever to a journeyman bouncing between three teams in one season underscores the volatility of relief pitching.
At 31, he still possesses the stuff that once made him a reliable middle-inning option, but consistency has proven elusive this year.
Whether another organization takes a chance will depend on whether they see the earlier-season version or the recent struggles as the more accurate reflection of his current form.
