Brandon Williamson could decide how aggressive the Reds get this offseason

On Wednesday, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brandon Williamson made his first Major League start since April 29. The left-hander went 5⅓ innings, allowed three runs on seven hits while striking out five batters and walking two. By all accounts, it was a solid performance, and he nearly recorded what would've been his second quality start this season.

Williamson's numbers on the season aren't great (3-3, 5.94 ERA), but after returning to the mound following an 18-month absence after undergoing Tommy John surgery in September of 2024, it's difficult to ascertain the full picture given such a small sample size. Williamson has barely covered more than 30 innings this season.

But the southpaw will receive plenty of run over the final few weeks of the 2026 campaign. Williamson is slated to follow Chase Burns in each of his starts through the remainder of the season. Burns is still expected to pitch through the end of 2026 season, though his workload will be limited. Williamson will then come on in relief in what's referred to as a piggyback start.

If this rotation holds, Burns — who's is scheduled to start Monday against the Los Angeles Dodgers — should receive four more starts with his final outing coming on the road in Atlanta during the last week of the regular season.

With Williamson following Burns, that means he's also likely to receive four more opportunities to pitch between now and the end of the season. How Williamson performs down the stretch could have a tremendous impact on the Reds' offseason plans.

Brandon Williamson's performance will help shape the Reds' offseason priorities

Unfortunately, Hunter Greene is likely to miss all of the 2027 season after undergoing UCL surgery earlier this year. That's a major blow to the Reds' rotation, and it will change the way Cincinnati's front office constructs the roster this winter.

If every other Reds' starter who's under team control is healthy entering next season, Burns, Nick Lodolo, Andrew Abbott, and Rhett Lowder would presumably fill four of the five spots. With Greene's impending absence, Williamson is likely to slide into that fifth and final spot in the rotation, though he might receive some pushback from Julian Aguiar, José Franco, and Chase Petty. In short, the final spot in the Reds' 2027 rotation is a crapshoot.

Williamson, however, could change the direction the Reds' take when evaluating potential offseason additions. If the left-hander produces during the final month of the season, he may persuade the Reds' front office to snag a low-cost starter rather than a middle-of-the-rotation arm.

The Reds are rumored to be considering extending a qualifying offer to Brady Singer — something that would add nearly $23 million to next year's payroll — but a strong finish from Williamson could sway Cincinnati to make a lesser investment in order to shore up the rotation.

The Reds' roster has so many holes heading into the offseason it hardly seems logical to invest $20 million-plus into a pitcher, especially when Greene's $15.3 million salary is already a sunk cost. If Williamson shows development and promise during the month of September, it might convince the Reds to make better use of their resources.

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