Brandon Williamson's addition to Reds Opening Day roster completes full-circle arc

When the Cincinnati Reds acquired Brandon Williamson from the Seattle Mariners four years ago, there was hope that they'd acquired a frontline starter for the future. Some injuries have prevented that from becoming reality, but the 27-year-old southpaw looks fully healthy this spring en route to surprising spot on the Reds Opening Day roster.

Though the primary story surrounding Williamson centers around the six-man rotation the Reds will run out at the beginning of the 2026 season, his inclusion on team's Opening Day roster means that he'll be playing with the same player he was traded for more than four years ago: Euguenio Suárez.

Reds unite Eugenuio Suárez, Brandon Williamson on Opening Day roster

In the original trade with the Mariners, the Reds acquired Williamson, Jake Fraley, Connor Phillips, and Justin Dunn in exchange for Suárez and former All-Star outfielder Jesse Winker. At the time of that trade, Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall said, "We really think Brandon Williamson is going to be on this club."

Williamson lived up to that billing in 2023, covering 23 starts and 117 innings for Cincinnati during his rookie campaign. Unfortunately, an elongated battle with a shoulder injury robbed him of playing time in 2024. He then suffered a torn UCL in September of that season and underwent Tommy John surgery.

Williamson's now forced his way back onto the roster with a brilliant performance this spring. In four appearances, he's posted a 1.64 ERA, 3.30 FIP, and a 31.8% strikeout rate. He may not get a traditional amount of run while Terry Francona juggles a six-man rotation, but he's met his goal of breaking camp with the big-league club.

Meanwhile, Suárez hasn't put up great numbers during Cactus League play, chiefly because he spent most of the spring playing for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. He had the game-winning hit in the WBC final and posted a .788 OPS throughout the tournament.

It isn't often that two players who were traded for each other end up playing on the same team. It's even more rare to see both have major roles on said team years after the fact. If the Reds are going to compete in 2026, they'll need both Suárez and Williamson to be on top of their games.