Reds starter Brandon Williamson left tonight’s start against the Braves in obvious discomfort. The southpaw looked to be in a lot of pain after throwing a pitch to Michael Harris II in the second inning (video provided by Pitching Ninja). Williamson came out of the game and Cincinnati later announced that he suffered an elbow strain (X link via Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer). The Reds have yet to provide much beyond that initial diagnosis. They’ll presumably send Williamson for imaging within the next couple days.
The left-hander has spent most of the season on the injured list. Williamson suffered a shoulder injury in Spring Training. While it initially looked as if he might need to undergo surgery, he managed to treat the issue with a series of injections. Williamson returned to the MLB staff this month. He’d allowed four runs (three earned) across 13 innings over his first three appearances of the season.
Williamson started 23 games for Cincinnati last year. The TCU product made his MLB debut in May and tossed 117 innings of 4.46 ERA ball over the next few months. Williamson was hit hard early on but turned in a 3.97 ERA in 70 1/3 frames after the All-Star Break. He had a good chance of securing a spot at the back of David Bell’s Opening Day rotation had he been healthy.
That wasn’t the case, and he’ll now hope that tonight’s elbow injury isn’t as serious as it initially seems. The Reds will certainly shut him down for the final couple weeks of this season. If he incurred significant ligament damage, that’d obviously have the potential for surgery that could sideline him next year.
Assuming the Reds place Williamson on the injured list, he’ll join Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Graham Ashcraft and Andrew Abbott. Rotation injuries have been a huge factor in Cincinnati’s disappointing season. Bell indicated before tonight’s game that the Reds are hopeful of getting Greene and Abbott back before the end of the year (relayed on X by Mark Sheldon of MLB.com). Lodolo, who went on the IL in late August with a finger sprain, will not return this season.
Reds are dead last in mlb in injury prevention
Reds are 9th in total games on the IL and 26th in total salary spent on the IL in 2024. If you want to give out an award for poor injury prevention give it to the Rangers or Dodgers this year.
Yes but the Rangers for example had guys like deGrom and Mahle recovering from earlier injuries who they’d already planned to have on the IL. For teams like the Braves and Reds almost all the IL time has been form injuries that unexpectedly occurred in 2024.
Here comes, thanks for the data on injury list time. I trust it comes from a reliable source. I doubted we led the league in that category due to a constant stories I see on this site other teams are experiencing. 9th is still high though.
Maybe an exorcism for GABP?
I’d just note that Williamson recovered from shoulder injury and pitched well these last few weeks. Too early to say he’ll be out next year, but it is soon enough to appreciate the Reds drafting Lowder and Floyd last year as well as Connor Burns and Luke Holman this year. “Can’t have to much pitching” is even truer than it used to be.
They seriously need to look into the conditioning of these guys.
Number one on the agenda should be to throw the radar gun and pitch counts out the window, but they won’t do that. Too many followers instead of leaders here.
When is SOMEONE going to address injuries on Reds!!!! This has been a multiple year problem. I don’t have the answer, but I’m also not being paid to make such decisions. Either the Reds organization needs to address this and/or those media members that cover this team need to exert some pressure!!!!
I agree. Obviously, the Reds and doing something wrong somewhere.
Not good news. The rotation next year imo would be Green, Abbott, and Lowder for sure. I don’t think Lodolo and Ashcraft can be counted on. Would love for them to bring Martinez back but he is probably gone.