Reds turn to electric young arm after Brandon Williamson lands on the IL

As expected, the Cincinnati Reds placed left-handed starting pitcher Brandon Williamson on the 15-day injured list ahead of Thursday's series finale against the Colorado Rockies. Williamson lasted just three innings on Wednesday and has been diagnosed with left shoulder fatigue.

Cincinnati will eventually need to replace Williamson in the starting rotation, but for now, right-handed reliever Zach Maxwell will take his spot on the active roster. Maxwell, affectionately known at Big Sugar, had been pitching with the Reds' Triple-A affiliate in Louisville since the 2026 season began.

Maxwell was in a tight competition with Sam Moll and Luis Mey for the final spot on the Reds Opening Day roster, but in the end, the veteran left-hander broke camp with the big-league ball club while the flame-throwing duo was optioned to Triple-A. Mey got the call earlier this week after Graham Ascraft landed on the bereavement list, and now Maxwell will be part of the Reds bullpen for the next few days.

Reds activate Zach Maxwell, but that's only a temporary solution

But Reds fans shouldn't expect Maxwell or Mey to be part of the roster for long. Before the team's road trip to Chicago next week, Cincinnati will need to find a replacement for Williamson. Though both Maxwell and Mey are talented relievers, neither is capable of going much beyond two innings of work.

The most logical choice to replace Williamson in the rotation is Chase Petty. A former top prospect in the organization, Petty took the mound for Triple-A Louisville on Wednesday night, so he'd be on four days rest ahead of Monday's game against the Chicago Cubs. Furthermore, Petty's the only healthy starting pitcher who's on the Reds' 40-man roster.

Nick Lodolo is working his way back from a blister issue, but will make another rehab appearance this weekend for the Louisville Bats. Lodolo threw just 10 sliders during his previous outing, and the Reds' coaching staff want to be sure that the lefty can grip and throw his breaking ball — the presumed reason for his constant battle with blisters — before activating him from the IL.

If everything goes according to plan, the Reds will likely activate Lodolo, Ashcraft, and left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson some time over the next week. But as baseball fans know all too well, things hardly ever go according to plan.

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