Scouting Report: Tejay Antone

Summary

Tejay Antone, 32-year-old right-handed reliever, has made a remarkable return to MLB after undergoing his third Tommy John surgery in April 2024. Called up by the Cincinnati Reds on May 6, 2026 (759 days after surgery), Antone becomes only the third pitcher in MLB history to return after three elbow surgeries, joining Jonny Venters and Jason Isringhausen. He was promoted to replace closer Emilio Pagan, who suffered a hamstring injury. In his first appearance on May 6 at Wrigley Field, Antone pitched a perfect eighth inning with two strikeouts. He has since recorded his 100th career strikeout and continues to perform effectively. With Triple-A Louisville, he posted a 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 15/6 K/BB ratio over 12 innings. Antone has revamped his pitching arsenal, moving away from his previous 100 mph fastball approach to incorporate a cutter and refined breaking pitches. Manager Terry Francona expressed enthusiasm about his arrival, calling it "uplifting" for the clubhouse.