Out
Injury Back
Est. Return 2/25/2023
2022 Stats
W-L
1-0
ERA
9.45
WHIP
1.65
K
5
SV
1
2023 Projections
2023 Fantasy Outlook
Sims entered 2022 looking like the favorite to close games for Cincinnati, but he recorded only a single save and was limited to just 6.2 innings across six appearances due to elbow issues and a herniated disc in his back. The back injury caused Sims serious pain and he even lost feeling in his foot before addressing the problem with season-ending surgery last July. Sims is one of the highest upside Reds relievers when healthy, but 2022 was his second straight season dealing with elbow problems. Back injuries are always worrisome for pitchers, so the 28-year-old is a risky fantasy bet for those seeking saves, especially since manager David Bell tends to spread opportunities around anyway. Monitor Sims' health throughout spring to determine if he's worth or spec or not this year, but don't expect double-digit saves. Read Past Outlooks

Avoids arbitration
Sims (back) signed a one-year, $1.27 million contract with the Reds on Friday to avoid arbitration, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Sims' season was cut short in 2022 after undergoing season-ending surgery on his back, and the 6.2 innings he managed to pitch early in the year weren't pretty (9.45 ERA, 1.65 WHIP). It's possible he'll work his way back into the closer role Cincinnati had planned for him going into 2022, though it may take a while before he gets there.
Sims' season was cut short in 2022 after undergoing season-ending surgery on his back, and the 6.2 innings he managed to pitch early in the year weren't pretty (9.45 ERA, 1.65 WHIP). It's possible he'll work his way back into the closer role Cincinnati had planned for him going into 2022, though it may take a while before he gets there.
Pitching Stats
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2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2022 MLB Game Log
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Minor League Game Log

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Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
22
Last 10 Games
22
Last 5 Games
22
How many pitches does Lucas Sims generally throw?
1-10
11-20
21-30
31-40
41-50
51-60
61-70
71-80
81-90
91-100
101-110
111-120
121+
What part of the game does Lucas Sims generally pitch?
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
Extra
% Games Reaching Innings Threshold
% Games By Number of Innings Pitched
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2020
-12%
BAA vs LHP
2022
-53%
BAA vs LHP
BAA | K | BB | H | HR | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Since 2020vs Left | .171 | 56 | 18 | 21 | 7 | |||
Since 2020vs Right | .195 | 56 | 17 | 30 | 2 | |||
2022vs Left | .125 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | |||
2022vs Right | .267 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 0 | |||
2021vs Left | .214 | 33 | 11 | 15 | 4 | |||
2021vs Right | .190 | 43 | 7 | 19 | 2 | |||
2020vs Left | .111 | 22 | 4 | 5 | 3 | |||
2020vs Right | .179 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 0 | |||
More Splits→ | View More Split Stats |
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2020
-3%
ERA on Road
2022
-83%
ERA at Home
ERA | WHIP | IP | K/9 | BB/9 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Since 2020Home | 4.33 | 1.13 | 35.1 | 11.5 | 3.6 | ||||
Since 2020Away | 4.22 | 1.08 | 42.2 | 14.3 | 4.4 | ||||
2022Home | 3.86 | 1.29 | 4.2 | 7.7 | 3.9 | ||||
2022Away | 22.50 | 2.50 | 2.0 | 4.5 | 18.0 | ||||
2021Home | 5.68 | 1.05 | 19.0 | 11.8 | 3.3 | ||||
2021Away | 3.54 | 1.14 | 28.0 | 16.4 | 3.5 | ||||
2020Home | 2.31 | 1.20 | 11.2 | 12.3 | 3.9 | ||||
2020Away | 2.84 | 0.71 | 12.2 | 11.4 | 4.3 | ||||
More Splits→ | View More Split Stats |
Stat Review
How does Lucas Sims compare to other relievers?
This section compares his stats with all relief pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 30 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.
* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 30 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 30 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
K/BB
0.83K/9
6.8BB/9
8.1HR/9
0.0Fastball
93.5 mphERA
9.45WHIP
1.65BABIP
.266GB/FB
2.50Left On Base
36.4%Exit Velocity
79.9 mphBarrels/BBE
5.4%Spin Rate
2737 rpmBalls Hit 95+ MPH
18.9%Swinging Strike
7.0%Advanced Pitching Stats
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
Armed with some of the best spin rates in the league, Sims finally got a taste of Cincinnati's closer role in 2021. He split chances early in the season with Amir Garrett, but the latter was awful and Sims got run as the Reds primary closer in late-May. He ripped off five saves in two weeks and appeared to be gaining momentum in the role until suffering an elbow sprain in June that sidelined him until mid-August. He took a few lumps upon his return and did not record another save for the rest of the season, but finished 2021 with a 4.40 ERA, seven saves, nine holds and a career-high 14.6 K/9. His estimators (2.99 FIP, 2.55 xERA) suggest he was unlucky in that department. Reds manager David Bell used 10 different relievers in the ninth inning last year, and while Sims was successful in his audition for the closer role, there's no guarantee he lands the job. He's unlikely to be ready for Opening Day due to back and elbow issues but should certainly be in the conversation for save chances once he's healthy.
More Fantasy News

Set for season-ending surgery
Sims will undergo season-ending surgery to address a herniated disc in his back, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
ANALYSIS
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Transferred to 60-day IL
Sims (back) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Friday.
ANALYSIS
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Set to begin throwing program
Reds manager David Bell said Sims (back) will begin a throwing program Tuesday or Wednesday, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
ANALYSIS
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Not yet throwing
Sims (back) has yet to resume a throwing program and won't return from the 15-day injured list when first eligible May 26, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
ANALYSIS
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Dealing with bulging disc in back
Sims is dealing with a bulging disc in his back, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
ANALYSIS
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