Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona shared the reasoning behind a roster move this week.
The Cincinnati Reds starting rotation has not been at full strength at any point this season. The team lost its two best arms just days before Opening Day. Right-hander Hunter Greene underwent right elbow surgery, and left-hander Nick Lodolo was sidelined by recurring blister issues.
While Lodolo is finally set to return Friday for his season debut, the timing is crucial, as Cincinnati recently lost another starter. Left-hander Brandon Williamson was placed on the 15-day injured list in late April due to left shoulder fatigue.
On Wednesday, the Reds made a move that immediately raised concern: Williamson was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Given the state of the rotation, the decision made it appear that perhaps his setback might be more serious than initially believed.
But manager Terry Francona clarified that the move was strictly procedural and tied to the recovery timeline, not a worsening injury.
“We talked to him the other day. If he’s down throwing for a couple of weeks, by the time you ramp up and start getting stretched out as a starter, it’s going to be 60 days. He’s on his way out to Arizona,” Francona said (h/t Charlie Goldsmith of FOX19).
For Williamson though, his injury is just another frustrating chapter in what has become a difficult start ot his career. The 28-year-old missed the entire 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Williamson was once viewed as a key part of Cincinnati’s future, especially after being selected in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft. Unfortunately, he has seen his development repeatedly derailed by injuries.
Even when healthy this season, Williamson struggled. Across 28 innings of work, he posted a 6.11 ERA with more walks (20) than strikeouts (19). The Reds hope that an extended rehab window will allow him to reset physically and mechanically, giving him a chance to rediscover the form he showed earlier in his career in the minor leagues.
For now, the Reds must navigate a difficult stretch without him. Cincinnati is in the midst of a seven-game losing streak, and the bullpen has already been heavily taxed due to the rotation’s instability. Losing another starter only increases the pressure on a pitching staff that has been forced to take on an expanded workload since Opening Day.
It has been a nightmare start to May for the Reds, and the rotation losing another arm could make ending the skid much more challenging.