The Cincinnati Reds have assigned left-handed pitcher Brandon Williamson to a rehab stint starting today. He’ll be joining the High-A Dayton Dragons tonight, aiming to return to action after recovering from a shoulder strain he suffered during spring training, sidelining him for the first month and a half of the season.
Williamson’s spring outings didn’t go smoothly, yielding eight runs over 11.0 innings in four appearances. His last game was on March 17th, almost two months ago, when he exited early due to shoulder soreness after just two innings. Despite initial reports of improvement the following day, it seems the recovery process took longer than anticipated, delaying his return to the mound.
In his rookie season in 2023, Brandon Williamson made 23 starts for the Reds, posting a 4.46 ERA over 117.0 innings, with 39 walks and 98 strikeouts. However, his performance improved significantly as the season progressed. After struggling with a 5.82 ERA in his first eight starts, he turned things around in July, recording a 3.79 ERA over his next 15 starts, spanning 78.1 innings, with 22 walks and 69 strikeouts.
Currently, the Reds rotation is performing well, with Frankie Montas having the highest ERA among the starters, which is still above-average this year. Given Williamson’s extended absence from game action, he’ll likely require ample time to build up his stamina and readiness to pitch five to six innings. Pitchers are allowed up to 30 days on a rehab assignment before the club must make a decision. While rotation dynamics could change during this period, at present, there may not be room for Williamson unless Cincinnati opts for a six-man rotation.
