Reds bullpen just got huge boost from surprising injury update

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Rhett Lowder never even got off the blocks. Once the team arrived in Goodyear, Arizona for spring training in February, Lowder was immediately shutdown due to a lingering elbow injury and didn't appear in a single Cactus League game.

Lowder's injury derailed the Reds' entire starting rotation from the start, and he was left behind in Arizona to heal while the rest of the team flew back to Cincinnati to begin the 2025 season. Lowder was given time to rehab, but as he was ramping up for his return to the major leagues, he suffered another injury. This time, it was a strained oblique.

By mid-June, Lowder was declared out for the remainder of the 2025 season, and the Reds had plans to send him to the Arizona Fall League next month as part of his rehab. But over the weekend, it was revealed that Lowder is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Tuesday, and if all goes well, again on Friday. Reds manager Terry Francona then suggested that Lowder might return to the active roster before the 2025 regular season comes to a close.

Reds bullpen just got huge boost from surprising Rhett Lowder injury update

This is a huge revelation, and one that could greatly affect the Reds bullpen down the stretch. Cincinnati's relief corps was already expecting to see Chase Burns and Nick Martinez moved to the bullpen for the final month of the 2025 season, but if Lowder's there too, it could change the entire outlook for the Reds' playoff chances.

If Lowder is truly going to help this team down the stretch, it won't be as a starter. There's not enough runway for him to build up his arm enough to be part of the rotation, not to mention every spot is already spoken for.

But if Lowder is able to show that he's fully recovered from that oblique injury, it wouldn't be a shock to see the former first-rounder make his 2025 debut coming out of the 'pen. Adding Lowder to the mix would give the Reds' bullpen another high-leverage arm to deploy as needed.

Lowder's return still feels like a pipe dream, but his bullpen sessions this week could go a long way toward deciding his fate for the rest of the 2025 season. At the very least, his recovery is a positive development, and a good sign for the Reds rotation in 2026.

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