Phillies’ trade with Reds ends failed reunion with one-time Philly starter

On Tuesday, the Philadelphia Phillies made a trade with the Cincinnati Reds, sending right-handed pitcher David Buchanan to the Reds in exchange for cash considerations, as reported by Phillies Tailgate. The trade all but ends a potential reunion of the big league club with the one-time Phillies starter.

Phillies’ trade with Reds ends failed reunion with one-time Philly starter David Buchanan

Buchanan was originally selected by the Phillies in the seventh round of the 2010 MLB Draft. After successfully progressing through their minor league system, he eventually made his major league debut as a starter with the club in 2014 when he was called up toward the end of May that season.

Following a solid first year with the Phillies in which Buchanan went 6-8 with a 3.75 ERA and 1.29 WHIP, he struggled in his sophomore season in 2015 as he moved constantly back and forth between the minors and majors. He posted a dismal 2-9 record with a 6.99 ERA and 1.85 WHIP, giving up a whopping 58 earned runs, including 12 home runs, in 74 2/3 innings pitched over 15 starts. 

After another season in the minors in 2016, Buchanan was eventually released by the Phillies. As a result, he ended up taking his game overseas to Asia to play in both the Japanese and Korean baseball leagues over the next seven seasons.

He would put together the strongest year of his career in 2023 with the Samsung Lions of the KBO, with a 12-8 record, 2.54 ERA and 1.15 WHIP while yielding only four home runs over 188 innings pitched. That impressive work earned him another shot in MLB when the Phillies signed him to a minor league deal earlier this year.

Buchanan spent 2024 primarily with the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate Lehigh Valley IronPigs. He posted a solid 9-3 record with a 4.82 ERA and 1.48 WHIP, with 78 strikeouts in 102 2/3 innings over 22 appearances around a couple of stints on the injured list and a recent trip to the development list. Despite a strong start to the season, he was never among the numerous call-ups this year.

In moving to the Reds organization, he will now look once again to get his opportunity to pitch again at the big league level, an opportunity that it became apparent that he wasn’t going to get with Philadelphia for the foreseeable future. With the Reds’ starting rotation decimated by injuries in recent weeks, Buchanan’s chance may actually come sooner than he thinks.