Williamson, Lowder, Burns Make Reds’ Roster
The Reds will open the season with six starters on the major league roster, manager Terry Francona announced (via Mark Sheldon of MLB.com). With Hunter Greene out until midseason, Cincinnati had three rotation locks: Opening Day starter Andrew Abbott, fellow lefty Nick Lodolo and veteran right-hander Brady Singer. Lefty Brandon Williamson and righties Chase Burns and Rhett Lowder have all secured roster spots as well. The Reds won’t use a straight six-man rotation but will deploy the Burns/Lowder/Williamson trio in a to-be-determined capacity.
Charlie Goldsmith of FOX 19 writes that the Reds have labeled the setup as a “condensed” six-man rotation. Abbott, Lodolo and Singer will start the first three games. A decision has yet to be made on which of Burns, Lowder and Williamson will start games four and five for the Reds. Whichever isn’t given a start will be available in long relief or tandem/piggyback fashion for the other two. Abbott will be back on the bump for Cincinnati’s sixth game of the season.
“You’ll see (Williamson) either potentially come in after Burns, or maybe even start a game and have Lowder do it (out of the bullpen),” Francona said (via Goldsmith). “I don’t think we feel the need to say it ahead of time as far as strategy goes. That’s kind of where we’re sitting. You’ll see (Williamson) pitch one of those two days (Game 4 or 5 of the season).”
Williamson, 28 next month, entered camp as a particular long shot to make the club. He’d pitched only 30 2/3 innings over the past two seasons combined — none in 2025. He missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery that was performed late in the 2024 campaign.
A former second-round pick by the Mariners, Williamson came to the Reds in the 2022 Eugenio Suárez/Jesse Winker trade. He’s pitched 131 1/3 big league innings with a 4.39 ERA to date but was a fairly well-regarded prospect with a solid minor league track record. Now healthy, Williamson has opened eyes in camp. He’s pitched 11 innings and held opponents to just two runs on only six hits and a pair of walks with 13 strikeouts (1.64 ERA, 31 K%, 4.8 BB%). He has a career 92.8 mph on his four-seamer but has been sitting 94.1 mph this spring (obviously not working as deep into games as he would in a regular season setting).
Burns and Lowder — particularly the former — seemed like much stronger rotation bets. Burns, the No. 2 overall pick in 2024, debuted last summer less than a year after being selected out of Wake Forest. The 6’3″ flamethrower obliterated minor league opposition, notching a 1.77 ERA, 36.8% strikeout rate and 5.4% walk rate in his first 13 pro starts before being summoned to the big leagues. Burns’ 4.57 ERA in 43 1/3 MLB frames last year, but much of the damage against him came early on. Burns was shredded for seven runs in just one-third of an inning against Boston in his second career start. He bounced back with a 3.32 ERA, 37.3% strikeout rate and 8.9% walk rate over his final 38 major league innings.
Lowder was the No. 7 overall pick just a year prior to Burns. Like Burns, he’s a Wake Forest product who made his MLB debut just a year after being drafted, in 2024. Lowder turned in a powerhouse 1.17 ERA in his first six MLB starts but did so with an underwhelming 17.2% strikeout rate and hefty 10.9% walk rate. His minor league work was terrific, however.
Both Burns and Lowder have had nice springs overall, though the Reds recently slowed Burns down a bit after he reported some range-of-motion issues to the club. Both promising young righties are viewed as critical long-term pieces in the rotation. It’s not entirely clear how this six-man setup will be resolved long-term. Francona told Goldsmith it’s a very short-term setup that probably won’t even last into late April. All three of Burns, Lowder and Williamson have multiple minor league option years remaining.
Francona also confirmed that reliever Connor Phillips and outfielder Will Benson have made the roster. Both have a minor league option remaining that, at least for now, won’t be used. The 24-year-old Phillips has had a rough spring, allowing seven runs in seven innings with an 18.8% walk rate, but he posted a 2.88 ERA while punching out nearly one-third of his opponents in 25 major league innings last year.
Benson has absolutely raked this spring, popping four homers and a double with as many walks as strikeouts (seven apiece) in 40 plate appearances. The 27-year-old is hitting .250/.400/.656 in 13 games. There’s no clear path to regular playing time with TJ Friedl, Noelvi Marte, JJ Bleday and Dane Myers also on the roster, but he’ll mix in as an occasional starter versus right-handed pitching and a lefty bat off the bench.
Reds Slow Chase Burns After Range Of Motion Issue
Reds right-hander Chase Burns tossed just 24 pitches in his spring outing on Friday, a significant step back from the 68 he threw in his previous appearance. The approach was intentional, manager Terry Francona told reporters, including Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19. Burns’ abbreviated outing came after he experienced a limited range of motion in his throwing arm earlier in the week. “We’re nipping this in the bud right now,” Francona said.
The fact that Burns was still able to take the ball on Friday suggests concern should be minor, but the issue could shape how the young righty is handled early in the season. Francona added that the Reds’ medical staff is putting together a routine to help Burns avoid the range of motion issue between starts moving forward.
Cincinnati has an opening in the rotation with ace Hunter Greene undergoing elbow surgery. Burns seemed to enter camp with the inside track for the fifth starter job, with Rhett Lowder and Brandon Williamson as his main competition. Chase Petty and Julian Aguiar were long-shot candidates, but both have been sent back to minor league camp. Now, two of Burns, Lowder, and Williamson have the chance to enter the regular season with starting roles alongside Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo, and Brady Singer.
Burns was the consensus top prospect in the Reds system heading into last season. He didn’t disappoint when he got the call, striking out eight Yankees in his June debut. The young righty was obliterated by the Red Sox in his second start, skewing his final line, but he was mostly as advertised across 13 appearances. Burns finished the regular season with a massive 35.6% strikeout rate over 43 1/3 innings. His 2.68 xFIP and 2.76 SIERA were significantly lower than his ERA (4.57). Burns retired five straight Dodgers in his lone postseason appearance.
The short Spring Training outing isn’t the first time Burns’ workload has been capped after an injury. He went down with a flexor strain in August that cost him about a month. When he returned, the Reds used him strictly as a reliever. He maxed out at two innings and 36 pitches following the injury.
Williamson is coming back from an arm issue of his own. He missed all of 2025 due to UCL reconstruction. The lefty emerged as a consistent member of the Cincinnati rotation in 2023, making 23 starts. He dealt with multiple arm injuries the following year, which eventually resulted in surgery.
The Reds acquired Williamson as part of the package they received from the Mariners in exchange for Eugenio Suarez and Jesse Winker in March 2022. He doesn’t overwhelm with velocity, but he showed a deep arsenal in his 2023 stint with Cincinnati. Williamson made a pitch mix tweak in 2024, pushing his cutter usage from 29.8% to 44.9%. He was using it more than his fastball before the arm problems popped up. Opponents hit just .179 against the cutter in Williamson’s limited 2024 sample.
Lowder is right up there with Burns in terms of prospect pedigree. His career also got off to a similarly positive start, until an arm injury derailed him. Lowder was called up at the end of the 2024 campaign. He breezed to a 1.17 ERA over six starts with the Reds as a 22-year-old. A 4.38 xERA suggested Lowder had been pretty fortunate, but he entered last season with a good chance to contribute with the big-league club. Lowder hit the IL in late March with a forearm strain. He was limited to just 9 1/3 innings in the minors.
After Lowder struggled to miss bats in his initial big-league stint (17.2% strikeout rate), he’s been racking up punchouts. The righty had a 26.5% strikeout rate in his five rehab outings last year. He’s pushed it to 29.7% across three Spring Training appearances. Burns and Lowder could give the Reds some of the swing-and-miss ability they’ll be lacking while Greene is sidelined.
Photo courtesy of Frank Bowen IV of The Enquirer
Players Who Could Move To The 60-Day IL Once Spring Training Begins
Most of the clubs in the league currently have a full 40-man roster, which means that just about every transaction requires a corresponding move. Some extra roster flexibility is on the way, however. The 60-day injured list goes away five days after the World Series but comes back when pitchers and catchers report to spring training.
Most clubs have a slightly earlier report date this year due to the World Baseball Classic. Last year, the Cubs and Dodgers had earlier report dates because they were had an earlier Opening Day than everyone else as part of the Tokyo Series. Gavin Stone was the first player to land on the 60-day IL in 2025, landing there on February 11th. According to MLB.com, every club has a report date from February 10th to 13th this year.
It’s worth pointing out that the 60 days don’t start being counted until Opening Day. Although a team can transfer a player to the 60-day IL quite soon, they will likely only do so if they aren’t expecting the player back until late May or beyond. A team also must have a full 40-man roster in order to move a player to the 60-day IL.
There are still plenty of free agents still out there, including big names like Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen, Justin Verlander, Chris Bassitt, Lucas Giolito, and more. Perhaps the extra roster flexibility will spur some deals to come together. It could also increase the ability of some clubs to make waiver claims or small trades for players who have been designated for assignment. If a team wants to pass a player through waivers, perhaps they will try to do so in the near future before the extra roster flexibility opens up.
Here are some players who are expected to miss some significant time or who have uncertain recovery timelines from 2025 injuries.
Angels: Anthony Rendon, Ben Joyce
Rendon’s situation is unique. He underwent hip surgery a year ago and missed the entire 2025 season. He is still on the roster and signed through 2026. He and the club have agreed to a salary-deferment plan and he is not expected to be in spring training with the club. His recovery timeline is unclear, but general manager Perry Minasian said earlier this month that Rendon would be “rehabbing at home,” per Alden González of ESPN. If they were going to release him, they likely would have done so by now, so he seems destined for the injured list.
Joyce underwent shoulder surgery in May and missed the remainder of the 2025 season. His current status is unclear. In August, he told Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register that he didn’t know if he would be ready for spring training. He would only land on the 60-day IL if the Halos don’t expect him back before the end of May.
Astros: Hayden Wesneski, Ronel Blanco, Brandon Walter
All three of these pitchers underwent Tommy John surgery in 2025. Wesneski was first, with his surgery taking place on May 23rd. Blanco followed shortly thereafter in early June. They will likely be targeting returns in the second half. Walter’s procedure was in September, meaning he will likely miss the entire season. All three should be on the 60-day IL as soon as Houston needs roster spots for other transactions.
Athletics: Zack Gelof
Gelof underwent surgery to repair a dislocated shoulder in September, with the expectation of him potentially being healthy for spring training. At the end of December, general manager David Forst told Martín Gallegos of MLB.com that Gelof would be “a little bit behind” in spring. He would only land on the 60-day IL if the A’s think he’ll be out through late May.
Blue Jays: Jake Bloss
Bloss underwent surgery on the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow in May. He was on optional assignment at the time and stayed in the minors for the rest of the season. Going into 2026, the Jays could keep him in the minors but they could also call him up and place him on the major league IL. Doing so would open up a roster spot but would also mean giving Bloss big league pay and service time.
Braves: Ha-Seong Kim, AJ Smith-Shawver, Danny Young, Joe Jiménez
Kim recently fell on some ice and injured his hand. He underwent surgery last week, and the expected recovery time is four to five months. The shorter end of that window only goes to mid-May, so perhaps Atlanta will hold off on making a decision until they watch his recovery, especially since they have other guys with clearer injury timelines.
Smith-Shawver underwent Tommy John surgery in June, so he shouldn’t be back until the second half and is therefore a lock for the 60-day IL once Atlanta needs a spot. Young underwent the same procedure in May, so he should also be bound for the IL.
Jimenez is more of a question mark. He missed the 2025 season due to left knee surgery. He required a “cleanup” procedure on that knee towards the end of the season. His timeline isn’t currently clear.
Brewers: None.
Cardinals: None.
Cubs: Justin Steele
Steele will probably be a bit of a borderline case. He underwent UCL surgery in April but it wasn’t a full Tommy John surgery. The Cubs described it as a “revision repair”. Steele had undergone Tommy John in 2017 as a minor leaguer.
Since Steele’s more recent procedure was a bit less serious than a full Tommy John, the club gave an estimated return timeline of about one year, putting him in line to potentially return fairly early in 2026. Given his importance to the Cubs, they would only put him on the 60-day IL if his timeline changes and he’s certain to be out through late May.
Diamondbacks: Corbin Burnes, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., A.J. Puk, Justin Martínez, Blake Walston, Tyler Locklear
The Snakes were hit hard by the injury bug in 2025. Burnes, Walston and Martínez all underwent Tommy John surgery. Burnes and Martínez had their procedures in June, so they should be targeting second-half returns and be easy calls for the 60-day IL. Walston would be a bit more borderline because his surgery was around Opening Day in late March last year. Puk had the slightly less significant internal brace procedure in June, so he could also be a borderline case.
Turning to the position players, Gurriel tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in September. He required surgery which came with a return timeline of nine to ten months, so he should be out until around the All-Star break.
Locklear should be back sooner. He underwent surgery in October to address a ligament tear in his elbow and a labrum injury in his shoulder. The hope at the time of that procedure was that he would be game ready to go on a rehab assignment around Opening Day and would therefore miss only about the first month. He would therefore only hit the 60-day IL if he doesn’t meet that timeline for some reason.
Dodgers: Brock Stewart
Stewart underwent shoulder debridement surgery in September. His timeline for 2026 isn’t especially clear. He will likely start the season on the IL but it’s unclear if he’ll be out long enough to warrant landing on the 60-day version.
Giants: Randy Rodríguez, Jason Foley
Rodríguez underwent Tommy John surgery in September, so he’s a lock for the 60-day IL and might even miss the entire 2026 campaign. Foley’s status is a bit more murky. He underwent shoulder surgery in May while with the Tigers. Detroit non-tendered him at season’s end, which allowed the Giants to sign him. He is expected back at some point mid-season. The Giants may want to get more clarity on his progress during camp before deciding on a move to the IL.
Guardians: Andrew Walters, David Fry
Neither of these guys is a lock for the 60-day IL. Walters had surgery to repair his right lat tendon in June with a recovery estimate of eight to ten months. Fry underwent surgery in October due to a deviated septum and a fractured nose suffered when a Tarik Skubal pitch hit him in the face. His timeline is unclear. It’s possible one or both could be healthy by Opening Day, so relevant updates may be forthcoming when camps open.
Mariners: Logan Evans
Evans required UCL surgery just last week and will miss the entire 2026 season. He was on optional assignment at the end of 2025, so the Mariners could keep him in the minors. Calling him up and putting him on the big league 60-day IL would open up a 40-man spot but would also involve Evans receiving big league pay and service time for the year.
Marlins: Ronny Henriquez
Henriquez underwent internal brace surgery in December and will miss the entire 2026 season, so he’s a lock for the 60-day IL.
Mets: Tylor Megill, Reed Garrett, Dedniel Núñez
All three of these pitchers underwent Tommy John surgery late in 2025 and are likely to miss the entire 2026 season, making them locks for the 60-day IL. Núñez went under the knife in July, followed by Megill in September and Garrett in October.
Nationals: Trevor Williams, DJ Herz
Williams underwent internal brace surgery in July. That’s a slightly less serious variation of Tommy John but still usually requires about a year of recovery. Herz underwent a full Tommy John procedure in April. Since that surgery usually requires 14 months or longer to come back, both pitchers are likely out until around the All-Star break and therefore bound for the 60-day IL once the Nats need some roster spots.
Orioles: Félix Bautista
Bautista underwent shoulder surgery in August, and the club announced his recovery timeline as 12 months. He’s a lock for the 60-day IL and may miss the entire season if his recovery doesn’t go smoothly.
Padres: Yu Darvish, Jhony Brito, Jason Adam
Darvish underwent UCL surgery in November and will miss the entire 2026 season. Instead of going on the IL, he may just retire, but it seems there are some contractual complications to be ironed out since he is signed through 2028.
Brito and Adam could be borderline cases. Brito underwent internal brace surgery in May of last year. Some pitchers can return from that procedure in about a year. Adam ruptured a tendon in his left quad in early September. In November, he seemed to acknowledge that he wouldn’t be ready for Opening Day. As of now, a trip to the 60-day IL seems unlikely unless he suffers a setback.
Pirates: Jared Jones
Jones required UCL surgery on May 21st of last year. The Bucs announced an expected return timeline of 10 to 12 months. The shorter end of that window would allow Jones to return fairly early in 2026. If it looks like he’ll be on the longer end of that time frame, he could wind up on the 60-day IL.
Phillies: Zack Wheeler
Wheeler underwent surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome in September, with a timeline of six to eight months. As of now, it seems unlikely Wheeler would require a trip to the 60-day IL, but it depends on how his ramp-up goes. He’s also approaching his 36th birthday, and the Phils could slow-play his recovery.
Rangers: Cody Bradford
Bradford required internal brace surgery in late June of last year. He recently said he’s targeting a return in May. That’s a pretty aggressive timeline, but perhaps the Rangers will delay moving him to the 60-day IL until that plan is strictly ruled out.
Rays: Manuel Rodríguez
Rodriguez underwent flexor tendon surgery in July of last year and is targeting a return in June of this year, so he should be a lock for the 60-day IL.
Reds: Brandon Williamson, Julian Aguiar
Both of these pitchers required Tommy John surgeries late in 2024, Williamson in September and Aguiar in October. They each missed the entire 2025 season. Presumably, they are recovered by now and could be healthy going into 2026, but there haven’t been any recent public updates.
Red Sox: Tanner Houck, Triston Casas
Houck is the most clear-cut case for Boston. He had Tommy John surgery in August of 2025 and will miss most or perhaps all of the 2026 season. Casas is more borderline. He’s still recovering from a ruptured left patellar tendon suffered in May of last year. It doesn’t seem like he will be ready by Opening Day, but his timeline apart from that is murky.
Rockies: Jeff Criswell, Kris Bryant
Criswell required Tommy John surgery in early March of last year. With the normal 14-month recovery timeline, he could be back in May. Anything slightly longer than that would make him a candidate for the 60-day IL. Bryant’s timeline is very difficult to discern. He has hardly played in recent years due to various injuries and is now dealing with chronic symptoms related to lumbar degenerative disc disease. Updates will likely be provided once camp opens.
Royals: Alec Marsh
Marsh missed 2025 due to shoulder problems and is slated to miss 2026 as well after undergoing labrum surgery in November.
Tigers: Jackson Jobe
Jobe required Tommy John surgery in June of last year. He will miss most or perhaps even all of the 2026 season.
Twins: None.
White Sox: Ky Bush, Drew Thorpe, Prelander Berroa
These three hurlers all required Tommy John surgery about a year ago, Bush in February, followed by Berroa and Thorpe in March. Given the normal 14-month recovery period, any of them could return early in 2026, but they could also end up on the 60-day IL if the timeline pushes slightly beyond that.
Yankees: Clarke Schmidt, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Anthony Volpe
Schmidt is the only lock of this group. He required UCL surgery in July of last year and should miss the first half of the 2026 season. Cole is recovering from Tommy John surgery performed in March of last year. His target is expected to be late May/early June, so he has a decent chance to hit the 60-day. However, given his importance to the club, the Yankees probably won’t put him there until it’s certain he won’t be back by the middle of May.
Rodón had surgery in October to remove loose bodies in his elbow. He’s expected to be back with the big league club in late April or early May, so he would only hit the 60-day IL if his timeline is pushed. Volpe required shoulder surgery in October. He’s not expected to be ready by Opening Day, but his timeline beyond that doesn’t seem concrete.
Photo courtesy of Allan Henry, Imagn Images
Reds Select Austin Wynns
The Reds announced that they have selected catcher Austin Wynns to their roster. To open a spot on the 40-man, they transferred left-hander Brandon Williamson to the 60-day injured list. Williamson underwent Tommy John surgery in September and will likely miss the entire 2025 season.
Adding Wynns has seemed likely for a while now. The Reds previously only had two catchers on their 40-man roster in Tyler Stephenson and Jose Trevino. Stephenson got an MRI on his back a couple of weeks ago which revealed a low-grade oblique strain. That made it inevitable that the Reds would have to add another backstop to pair with Trevino to start the season.
Wynns, 34, was in this role with Cincinnati in 2024 as well. The club selected his contract three times last year, whenever they needed a fresh body. In the first two cases, he was designated for assignment and outrighted back to Louisville a few days later. In the third case, he himself landed on the IL due to a right teres major tear and finished the season there. At season’s end, he was outrighted off the roster again and elected free agency but returned on a fresh minor league pact.
His .230/.277/.332 career batting line isn’t strong but he’s a veteran backstop who has appeared in parts of six big league seasons now. He’s considered a competent defender and the Reds are clearly comfortable with him.
Players Who Could Move To The 60-Day IL Once Spring Training Begins
Most of the clubs in the league currently have a full 40-man roster, which means that just about every transaction requires a corresponding move these days. Some extra roster flexibility is on the way, however. The 60-day injured list goes away five days after the World Series but comes back when pitchers and catchers report to spring training.
Per R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports, most clubs have a report date of February 12th or 13th. The Cubs and Dodgers are a bit earlier than most, on the 9th and 11th, respectively. That’s due to the fact that those clubs are heading to Tokyo, with exhibition games in mid-March, followed by regular season games against each other on March 18th and 19th. All the other teams have Opening Day scheduled for March 27th.
It’s worth pointing out that the 60 days don’t start being counted until Opening Day. Although a team can transfer a player to the 60-day IL quite soon, they will likely only do so if they aren’t expecting the player back until end of May or later. A team also must have a full 40-man roster in order to move a player to the 60-day IL.
There are still plenty of free agents still out there, including big names like Alex Bregman and Pete Alonso, as well as Nick Pivetta, Andrew Heaney, David Robertson, Randal Grichuk, Kenley Jansen, Harrison Bader, Lance Lynn, Jose Quintana and many more. Perhaps the extra roster flexibility will spur some deals to come together in the next week or so. It could also increase the ability of some clubs to make waiver claims or small trades for players who have been designated for assignment.
Here are some players who are expected to miss some significant time and could find themselves transferred soon.
Angels: Robert Stephenson
Stephenson underwent a hybrid Tommy John surgery with internal brace in late April. Given the 14-plus months required to recovery from such a procedure, he’s not likely to be ready in the early parts of the 2025 season.
Astros: Cristian Javier, J.P. France, Bennett Sousa
Javier underwent Tommy John surgery in June and is targeting a return in the second half of 2025. France is recovering from shoulder surgery and hoping to return in July. Sousa’s timeline is less clear but he underwent surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome in April. Other possibilities include Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr., who are expected to start the season on the IL but returning in April or May still seems possible.
Athletics: Luis Medina, Ken Waldichuk
Medina underwent Tommy John surgery in August and Waldichuk in May. Medina might miss the entire season while Waldichuk is likely to miss a few months at least.
Blue Jays: Angel Bastardo, Alek Manoah
The Jays grabbed Bastardo from the Red Sox in the Rule 5 draft in December, even though he had Tommy John surgery in June. Manoah also had Tommy John around that time and is hoping to be back by August.
Braves: Joe Jiménez
Jimenez had knee surgery in November with a timeline of eight to twelve months, so he might miss the entire season. Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr. are also possibilities, though those will be more borderline. Strider had internal brace surgery in April, so returning in May is somewhat possible. Acuña is recovering from a torn ACL last year and it’s possible he’ll miss the first month or so of the season. Given how important both of those players are, Atlanta probably won’t put them on the 60-day IL unless it’s 100% certain that they can’t come back in the first 60 days of the season.
Brewers: Robert Gasser
Gasser had Tommy John surgery in June and will be looking at a late 2025 return even in a best-case scenario.
Diamondbacks: Kyle Nelson
Nelson’s timeline is unclear, but he underwent surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome in May and missed the remainder of the 2024 season.
Dodgers: Gavin Stone, Brusdar Graterol, River Ryan, Kyle Hurt, Emmet Sheehan
Stone underwent shoulder surgery in October that will cause him to miss the entire year. Graterol also underwent shoulder surgery and isn’t expected back until the second half of 2025. Each of Ryan, Hurt and Sheehan required Tommy John surgery in 2024: Ryan in August, Hurt in July and Sheehan in May.
Guardians: Sam Hentges, David Fry, Shane Bieber, Trevor Stephan
Hentges required shoulder surgery in September, with an expected recovery timeline of 12 to 14 months. Fry underwent UCL surgery in November with a more fluid timeline. He won’t be able to throw at all in 2025 but could be cleared for designated hitter action six to eight months from that surgery. Bieber is perhaps a borderline case, as he underwent Tommy John surgery in April. Given his importance, the Guards may not transfer him to the 60-day IL until it’s assured that he won’t be back in the first 60 days of the season. Stephan underwent Tommy John surgery in March and perhaps has a chance to avoid the 60-day IL, depending on his progression.
Mariners: Matt Brash, Jackson Kowar
Brash underwent Tommy John surgery in May. Given the typical 14-month recovery timeline from that procedure, he would be looking at a midsummer return. However, it was reported in November that he’s ahead of schedule and could be back by the end of April. That’s an optimistic timeline but the Mariners will probably hold off moving him to the 60-day IL until the door is closed to an early return. Kowar underwent Tommy John in March, so an early return in 2025 is possible for him, depending on how his recovery is going.
Marlins: Braxton Garrett, Eury Pérez
Garrett just underwent UCL surgery last month and is going to miss the entire 2025 season. Pérez underwent Tommy John surgery in April of last year and will miss at least part of the beginning of the 2025 campaign.
Mets: Christian Scott
Scott required a Tommy John surgery and internal brace hybrid procedure in September and will likely miss the entire 2025 season.
Nationals: Josiah Gray, Mason Thompson
Gray required a Tommy John surgery and internal brace hybrid procedure in July, meaning he’ll miss most or perhaps all of the 2025 season. Thompson required Tommy John surgery in March, so he has a better chance to make an early-season return if his recovery is going well.
Orioles: Kyle Bradish, Tyler Wells
Bradish and Wells each required UCL surgery in June, so they’re both slated to miss the first half of the upcoming campaign.
Padres: Joe Musgrove
Musgrove had Tommy John surgery in October and will therefore miss the entire 2025 season. However, the Padres only have 36 guys on their 40-man roster at the moment, so they’ll need to fill those spots before moving Musgrove to the 60-day IL.
Pirates: Dauri Moreta
Moreta required UCL surgery in March, so an early-season return is possible if his rehab is going well, though he could end up on the 60-day if the club goes easy with his ramp-up or he suffers any kind of setback.
Rangers: Josh Sborz
Sborz underwent shoulder surgery in November and is expected to miss the first two to three months of the upcoming season.
Rays: Nate Lavender, Ha-Seong Kim
The Rays took Lavender from the Mets in the Rule 5 draft, even though he had Tommy John in May and will miss the start of the season. Kim’s status is more up in the air after he had shoulder surgery in October. Various reports have suggested he could return anywhere from April to July. The Rays made a sizable investment in Kim, their largest ever for a position player, so they probably won’t shelve him until they get more clarity on his status.
Red Sox: Patrick Sandoval, Garrett Whitlock, Chris Murphy
Sandoval had internal brace surgery in June of last year and should miss the first half of the season. Whitlock had the same surgery in May, so he could have a bit of a better chance to return in the first 60 days of the season. Murphy underwent a fully Tommy John surgery in April and will certainly miss the beginning of the upcoming season. Another possibility is Lucas Giolito, who had internal brace surgery in March, though he expects to be ready by Opening Day.
Reds: Julian Aguiar, Brandon Williamson
Aguiar underwent Tommy John surgery in October and Williamson in September, so both are likely slated to miss the entire 2025 season.
Tigers: Sawyer Gipson-Long
Gipson-Long underwent internal brace surgery in April. On top of that, he underwent left hip labral repair surgery in July, with the club hoping to address both issues at the same time. It seems likely that he’ll miss some of the early 2025 schedule, but his IL placement will depend on how he’s been progressing.
White Sox: Jesse Scholtens
Scholtens underwent Tommy John surgery in early March. Whether he goes on the 60-day IL or not will depend on how he’s progressed since then and when the White Sox expect him back.
Yankees: Jonathan Loáisiga
Loáisiga underwent internal brace surgery in April, so he could potentially be back on the mound early in the 2025 season. It was reported in December that the Yankees are expecting him to be in the bullpen by late April or early May, so he’ll only end up on the 60-day IL if he suffers a bit of a setback.
Reds Outright Alan Busenitz
Reds right-hander Alan Busenitz went unclaimed on waivers and has been assigned outright to Triple-A Louisville, per the team’s transaction log at MLB.com. He’ll have the opportunity to reject the assignment in favor of free agency, though he can become a minor league free agent at season’s end anyhow. Cincinnati also reinstated outfielder/designated hitter Nick Martini from the 60-day injured list and opened a 40-man roster spot by transferring southpaw Brandon Williamson from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL. Martini was optioned rather than being added to the active roster.
Busenitz, 34, has allowed six runs in four innings with Cincinnati this season and eight runs in 11 frames over the past two seasons combined. The journeyman right-hander has spent the bulk of his time with the Reds organization in Triple-A, He’s had a solid season in Louisville this year, logging 66 1/3 innings of 4.07 ERA ball with a 21.6% strikeout rate and 7.9% walk rate.
Busenitz came to the Reds organization on a minor league deal after a nice four-year run in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, where he worked to a 2.83 ERA across four seasons with the Rakuten Golden Eagles. Prior to that NPB stint, he pitched in parts of two seasons with the Twins, posting a 1.99 ERA in 31 2/3 innings as a rookie in 2017 before being shelled for a 7.82 ERA in 25 1/3 innings the following season. In all, he’s pitched 68 big league innings with a 4.90 ERA.
Martini tore a ligament in his thumb back in July on a headfirst slide into second base. He underwent surgery a couple days later and ultimately missed more than two months of action. The 34-year-old opened the season on a tear, blasting a pair of Opening Day homers and hitting .290/.303/.677 through his first 11 games. He then fell into a prolonged slump before being optioned to Louisville in early May. The well-traveled outfielder hit .212/.272/.370 in 162 plate appearances with the Reds and carries a career .252/.336/.400 line in 575 big league plate appearances. The Reds can control him for another four seasons, but there’s a good chance he’ll be removed from the 40-man roster after the season and wind up a minor league free agent.
Brandon Williamson To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Reds left-hander Brandon Williamson has informed reporters that he has a full tear of his ulnar collateral ligament and will require Tommy John surgery. He will miss the remainder of this season and likely all of 2025 as well. Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer was among those who relayed the message on X.
The news is disappointing but not surprising. Williamson had obviously hurt his arm during last night’s game, as seen in video relayed on X by Pitching Ninja. The club later announced that he had suffered an elbow strain. Further testing has quickly revealed a ligament year, which will force Williamson to go under the knife.
It’s another frustrating development for the lefty, who hasn’t been able to build off his solid debut in 2023. He made 23 starts for the Reds last year, logging 117 innings with 4.46 earned runs allowed per nine. He struck out 20% of batters faced and limited walks to a 7.9% clip.
Ideally, he would have taken a step forward in 2024, but he never really got the chance. He began the season on the injured list due to a left shoulder strain and didn’t make it back to the active roster until September 1. He made just four appearances before suffering this elbow injury, making it mostly a lost season. Given the calendar, 2025 is almost certainly going to be a total wash, as recovery from Tommy John surgery often takes 14 months or more.
Williamson is now 26 but he will turn 28 in April of 2026, when he will be a factor for the Reds again. He should be transferred to the 60-day IL whenever the Reds need his roster spot, but there’s no IL in the offseason. Assuming he hangs onto his roster spot through the winter, he’ll spend 2025 on the IL as well, collecting major league pay and service time. If he does indeed stick on the roster through the 2025 season, he would have two years and 139 days of service time, putting him in line to qualify for arbitration as a Super Two player.
For the Reds, they will have one fewer option for building their 2025 rotation. On paper, they have a solid group that includes Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Andrew Abbott, Graham Ashcraft, Christian Roa, Nick Martinez, Rhett Lowder and Julian Aguiar, though most of those guys have spent significant time on the IL this year, which played a big role in Cincinnati’s disappointing season. Naturally, the club will be hoping for better health next year but one domino has already fallen with his Williamson news. Martinez could also opt out of his contract, something that MLBTR’s Anthony Franco recently explored in a piece for Front Office subscribers.
Reds’ Brandon Williamson Leaves Start With Elbow Strain
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 Activate Brandon Williamson From 60-Day IL
The Reds announced a series of roster moves this morning that saw them activate left-handers Brandon Williamson and Brent Suter as well as outfielder Jake Fraley from the injured list. Right-hander David Buchanan was designated for assignment to make room for Williamson, who had been on the 60-day IL, on both the 40-man and active rosters. No corresponding moves were necessary to return Fraley and Suter, who were on the 10- and 15-day ILs respectively and will take the extra roster spots created by today’s expansion from 26 to 28 roster spots.
Williamson, 26, has missed the entire season to this point due to a shoulder strain he suffered back in March. The lefty was at risk of requiring season-ending surgery back in June but opted against going under the knife in hopes of rehabbing the issue. That plan has clearly worked out fairly well, as the lefty is now back on a big league mound for the first time in nearly a full calendar year. The southpaw enjoyed a solid if unspectacular rookie season with the Reds last year with a 4.46 ERA and 4.63 FIP to go along with a 20% strikeout rate in 117 innings that came together to give him the look of a solid back-of-the-rotation starting option.
Once a top-100 prospect, Williamson was acquired alongside Fraley as part of the package that sent Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez to the Mariners prior to the 2022 season. Long looked at as a likely middle- to back-of-the-rotation arm, Williamson has turned heads during his rehab process in the minor leagues this year with a microscopic 0.55 ERA in five rehab starts this year. That excellent production is backed up by an increase in strikeout rate, as Williamson has punched out 25.4% of batters faced while rehabbing this year. If the young lefty really has managed to not only return healthy but shows signs of having taken a step forward at the big league level down the stretch this year, that’ll be an exciting turn of events for the Reds as they look ahead to 2025 with Williamson, Nick Lodolo, and Rhett Lowder all in the conversation for starts behind Hunter Greene and Andrew Abbott.
Making room for Williamson on the 40-man roster is Buchanan, who was added to the club’s roster just yesterday. The 35-year-old journeyman posted 3 1/3 innings of one-run ball in yesterday’s game against the Brewers in what was his first big league work in nearly a decade. The righty last pitched in the majors for the Phillies back in 2015, when he struggled to a 6.99 ERA in 15 starts on the heels of what was a promising rookie campaign in 2014. Since then, Buchanan has spent the majority of his career pitching overseas in Japan and Korea, with a combined 3.50 ERA in 1169 2/3 overseas innings of work.
As for Fraley and Suter, the pair return from the injured list for the stretch run in hopes of proving themselves healthy and effective headed into next season. Fraley, 29, has struggled this year when healthy with a lackluster slash line of just .271/.323/.366 in 92 games. Suter, meanwhile, sports a 3.68 ERA and 4.30 FIP in 51 1/3 innings of work so far this year. The Reds hold a $3.5MM club option of Suter’s services for next season, while Fraley will be eligible for arbitration for the second time in his career over the offseason.
Season-Ending Surgeries Possible For Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Brandon Williamson
TODAY: Williamson will forego surgery for now, Bell told Mark Sheldon (X link) and other reporters, and has instead received injections in his ailing shoulder. The southpaw will be shut down for at least three weeks to see how his shoulder responds to the treatment, and will then resume throwing if improvement is shown.
JUNE 11: Two players on the Reds may need to go under the knife, according to David Bell, as relayed by Mark Sheldon of MLB.com (X link) and Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer (X link). Infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand has ligament damage in his fractured hand while left-hander Brandon Williamson has a lesion in his shoulder. Both players will be evaluated in the coming days with season-ending surgery possible for each of them.
Encarnacion-Strand debuted with a splash last year, hitting 13 home runs in his first 63 major league games. He slashed .270/.328/.477 for a wRC+ of 112 while playing first and third base, as well as a brief stint in right field.
That showing got him the everyday first base gig coming into 2024, though the season hasn’t played out the way he or the club hoped. He produced a tepid line of .190/.220/.293 this year before landing on the injured list in early May. He had been hit on the hand by a pitch at the end of April. X-rays after that HBP were negative but revealed an “old fracture” in one of his bones, per Wittenmyer. He continued playing for a little bit longer before eventually being placed on the IL.
He’s been on the IL for over a month now and it seems some further testing discovered some ligament damage. “Surgery is an option,” Bell said today, per Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer on X. “We’re hopeful he can start progressing. If that’s what he and the specialist decide.”
As for Williamson, he’s been on the injured list all year due to a shoulder strain that was diagnosed in spring training. He had been on a rehab assignment of late but that was shut down last week due to continued discomfort.
Once a top 100 prospect, Williamson went from the Mariners to the Reds as part of the March 2022 trade that sent Eugenio Suárez and Jesse Winker to Seattle. Williamson made his major league debut last year with a 4.46 earned run average that obviously isn’t too exciting, but it’s perhaps notable that his results improved as he got acclimated to the majors. He had a5.82 ERA in his first eight outings but then a 3.79 ERA in his final 15.
The Reds’ season has been significantly affected by absences of potential contributors so far this year. Noelvi Marté received an 80-game PED suspension and has been away from the team all year, while players like Encarnacion-Strand, Williamson, Matt McLain, Nick Lodolo, TJ Friedl and others have missed time due to injuries.
Lodolo and Friedl have since returned to the club and McLain could perhaps rejoin the club in August. If either Encarnacion-Strand or Williamson or both end up requiring surgery, it will deprive the club of another such return later in the year.
The club slumped badly in May but have been quite hot of late, with seven wins in their past eight games. Their 32-34 record isn’t especially impressive but it puts them just half a game back of a playoff spot in the relatively weak National League playoff race. Assuming they hang around the postseason picture in the coming weeks, they may be able to address these issues, if the surgeries are eventually deemed necessary.
For now, Lodolo, Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott and Frankie Montas are in four rotation spots with one opening due to the recent optioning of Graham Ashcraft. Internal options to fill the spot include Nick Martinez and Carson Spiers. Williamson would be in that mix if healthy but he would naturally be subtracted if he ends up undergoing the surgery.
On the infield, Spencer Steer has been the regular first baseman lately, with Jonathan India at second, Jeimer Candelario at third and Elly De La Cruz at shortstop, while the designated hitter spot has largely been used to rotate the club’s many outfielders into the lineup. If Encarnacion-Strand were healthy, Steer could have been moved to third or DH or a corner outfield spot, though that possibility is clearly not an option at the moment and may not come into the play at all for the remainder of 2024.