Terry Francona Shares Encouraging Update on Rhett Lowder

Lowder was placed on the injured list on Wednesday.

May 5, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona (77) makes a pitching change against the Chicago Cubs during the sixth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona spoke to the media before Wednesday's series finale against the Washington Nationals and provided an encouraging update on starting pitcher Rhett Lowder.

"He’s going to throw today," Francona told Charlie Goldsmith. "We sat and talked to him for a while yesterday. He’s doing a good job. By doing this, he’s going to set himself up for the long haul."

Lowder left last Thursday's game against the Chicago Cubs with right-shoulder discomfort. He was given an injection earlier this week, but was officially placed on the injured list on Wednesday. The Reds signed recently released Chris Paddack to start on Saturday against the Cleveland Guardians.

Lowder is coming off a season where he didn't throw a single pitch in the majors due to injuries. With that being said, it's better for the Reds to be cautious than to rush him back.

Reds' pitching has really struggled recently. Some of that is due to guys underperforming, and some of it is due to injuries. Chase Petty, Brandon Williamson, Julian Aguiar, Emilio Pagan, Caleb Ferguson, Hunter Greene, and Lowder are all currently on the shelf with injuries.

There aren't many teams that can overcome that many pitching injuries, but the Reds have no choice but to try to.

On top of the injuries, a couple of pitchers have really struggled. Tony Santillan and Brady Singer are two examples. Santillan was as reliable as you could ask for last season as Cincinnati's eighth-inning guy. This year, his ERA has ballooned up to 5.82, and he's given up at least one run in five consecutive appearances. On Wednesday, it was Santillan who gave up the go-ahead two-run home run in the loss to the Nationals.

"I have felt good with the heater the last two outings," Santillan said. "But the slider has been different because of the adjustments we've made. Unfortunately, those were both of the pitches that got hit."

Singer is known for his reliablity, but his results have been shaky lately. He is 2-3 with an ERA of 5.79 and a WHIP of 1.67 this season. On Tuesday, he was only able to go 3 2/3 innings after taking a come-backer off the foot. With Hunter Greene out, the Reds need Singer to step up to the challenge and give them depth and keep them in games. Lately, he hasn't been doing that.

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