2022 review: Jake Reed

Nov 24, 2022 - 3:08 PM

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As previously stated, baseball can be a cruel, fickle mistress. You can be riding high one minute then, bam, you’re getting traded to the hinterlands never to be seen again...until you just suddenly reappear. For instance, Jacob “Jake” Hubert Reed is used to this life as he was with the Dodgers for two weeks in 2021. Like last year, Reed wore No. 57 while with the major league club.

Reed started his 2022 with the Mets. He appeared in five games and threw 6⅓ innings giving up eight runs, resulting in an 11.37 ERA. Reed also walked six and struck out six in his outings. On July 10, the Mets designated Reed for assignment. On July 13, the Dodgers claimed Reed, who was on his fourth option of the year, leaving him with one more option before the “Mitch White Rule” kicked in, resulting in a designation for assignment for every option after the fifth. Reed reported to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

While at Oklahoma City in July and August, Reed appeared in 10 games going 2-0 over 10⅓ innings of work. His ERA in Oklahoma City was 0.87, as he only allowed one run and struck out 11.

Two weeks after being acquired, on July 27, Reed rejoined the Dodgers and appeared in three of the next four games in Los Angeles and Colorado. It was on this road trip to Colorado that I finally saw Reed and his trademark whipping delivery.

Michael Elizondo/TrueBlueLA

Reed only pitched a third of an inning. He gave up a hit on six pitches in the seventh inning in a game that was my first Dodgers loss of the year. On July 31, Reed was optioned for the fifth time and sent back to Oklahoma City.

Reed returned to the Dodgers as they played the Mets in New York at the end of August. At the start of play on August 30, the Dodgers had a 19½-game lead for the division. Reed was brought up to provide coverage in the bullpen. The Dodgers-Mets series was hyped as a potential playoff preview. While the Mets were locked in an epic dogfight with their cousins from the South, Reed had the best moment of his major league career on a rainy night at Citi Field.

Reed closed out a 4-3 Dodgers’ victory over the Mets, giving up a leadoff single to Eduardo Escobar, before inducing Daniel Vogelbach to ground into a double play and inducing Brandon Nimmo to hit a weak comebacker to record his first Major League save. This game would be the only game that the Dodgers would win in New York in this series.

Technically, Reed also closed out the following game, which was a 2-1 Dodgers loss. Reed generally looked sharp on the mound and his emotive outburst during and after his save became a nice moment in the Dodgers’ season.

Unfortunately for Reed, Blake Treinen had reached his point in the queue to return from the injured list on September 2. Reed was designated for assignment and was subsequently claimed by the Orioles. Reed remained an Oriole to close out the season. Unfortunately, Reed struggled with Baltimore until the Orioles designated him for assignment on October 11. The Red Sox subsequently claimed Reed on October 13 but designated him for assignment on November 15.

And that was the end of the story...until the following happened: for the third time in 17 months, Jake Reed is once again part of the Dodgers organization.

2022 particulars

Age: 29

Stats: 1.93 ERA, 4⅔ IP, 1 Sv, 1 BB, 2 K w/Dodgers; 7.36 ERA, 11 IP, 10 games overall in MLB

Salary: $705,000

Game of the year

While wearing a Dodger uniform, by definition, that would be August 30, the day he earned his first career save against the Mets. After talking with Mickey Jannis, I have gained a new appreciation for those who end up on the fringes of a major league roster. The fact that Reed was able to preserve and get his first major league save against his old team is something that I am sure he will treasure for the rest of his life.

Roster status

Reed has 140 days of major league service time. He is currently back with the Dodgers and has one option year remaining.