Reds forced into regrettable move nobody imagined back in spring

The Cincinnati Reds' rotation has had no luck in 2026. Losing Hunter Greene until midseason before the games even counted was a big blow, and since then, it feels as if the club has been scrambling to keep up.

Nick Lodolo's return from a blister issue was supposed to stabilize things, though through two starts, he's been just as bad as the injured Brandon Williamson he replaced. Now, in light of Rhett Lowder's injury, signing Chris Paddack might just be throwing gas on the fire.

Lowder had been a rare gem, posting a 2.91 ERA over his first six starts, but a blowup on May 2 against the Pittsburgh Pirates and his early departure due to shoulder discomfort on May 7 against the Chicago Cubs have made that seem like a distant memory.

The 30-year-old Paddack will be his replacement, but it's important to remember that the Miami Marlins cut him loose for a reason. The right-hander has a 7.63 ERA on the season, and with a propensity to give up the long ball, 1.76 HR/9 so far in 2026 and 1.53 HR/9 for his career, foreshadowing Great American Ball Park becoming a house of horrors for him.

Reds rotation injuries left them with no choice but Chris Paddack

Paddack was acquired by the Detroit Tigers at last year's trade deadline in hopes that he could stabilize their pitching staff. He was quickly booted from their rotation in part because of how ineffective he was. He finished his tenure in Detroit with a 6.32 ERA.

For his career, Paddack owns a 4.79 ERA. He's only posted an ERA under 4.00 once, which came in his rookie season back in 2019 with the San Diego Padres. Over the years, his strikeouts have dropped from his rookie year peak as well.

Chase Petty was thought to be the Reds' most logical replacement after it was announced that Lowder was headed to the IL, but he exited his most recent start after suffering an injury to his finger. Petty made a spot start on May 4 against the Chicago Cubs, and while it was a mixed bag, he went 5⅔ innings, allowing just three earned runs in the process.

The only other (possible) option would have been Jose Franco, whom the Reds used as a reliever earlier this year. His 4.30 ERA is a bit misleading given his mediocre strikeout rate and sky-high 16.4% walk rate. He might not be fully stretched out and Cincinnati's decision markers obviously felt more comfortable with what Paddack will provide.

The good news is that Lowder's MRI came back clean, and hopefully, he won't be out for a while. The bad news is that Paddack is the replacement, and things could go awry quickly. Fans can only hope that the Reds get Lowder or Petty back to full health in short order.

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