Reds Lose Pitcher to Shoulder Injury, Recall Zach Maxwell From Triple-A

The Cincinnati Reds came into the season expecting their starting pitching to be a strength, but that hasn't been the case. This week, their problem got even worse.

Reds pitcher Brandon Williamson struggled against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night before leaving the game early with shoulder fatigue. On Thursday morning, the Reds announced that Williamson was being sent to the injured list with the same injury. As a result, Zach Maxwell was called up to the big leagues.

Williamson joins Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo as Reds starting pitchers on the injured list. Pair that with Andrew Abbott's struggles, and the Reds' pitching staff doesn't look nearly as good as it was expected to be.

Brandon Williamson Has Struggled This Season

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brandon Williamson (55) pitches in the first inning of the MLB baseball game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Williamson underwent Tommy John surgery well over a year ago and has been working back to the big leagues ever since. He has a very good story with him, as this kind of quick turnaround from Tommy John surgery is very impressive from a borderline big leaguer.

But it seems like he wasn't exactly ready for a spot in the rotation. It seems like his arm wasn't equipped for the workload of being a starting pitcher again just yet. This isn't a knock on Williamson, per se, as it's very difficult to build back up from Tommy John.

Williamson still has a lot of talent, but his command has struggled, which is typically the first thing to go when dealing with an injury or extra fatigue. He's walked 20 batters in 28 innings this season, including 17 walks in his last four starts. These numbers aren't competitive. A trip to the injured list to get his arm right before building back up is the perfect solution.

Zach Maxwell Has Looked Good in Triple-A

Sep 16, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Zach Maxwell (78) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

Maxwell's stats don't look great in Triple-A this season because his ERA is close to 6.00, but that has a lot to do with his production earlier in the year.

Across his last five outings, Maxwell has allowed one run on three hits and two walks. In that span, he has 10 strikeouts.

If Maxwell can find himself consistently in the strike zone, he could be a weapon for the Reds. That's a big "if," but it's something he has improved on over his last few times out.

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