Crushing Blow: Surprise Injury Could Force Reds Into Major Trade Deadline Rethink

Rhett Lowder Shut Down for Season, Forcing Reds to Rethink Deadline Strategy

The Cincinnati Reds were already without top pitching prospect Rhett Lowder, who landed on the 60-day injured list in early June after sustaining an oblique injury during a rehab outing for Triple-A Louisville. But any lingering optimism about his return in 2025 was officially extinguished this week.

Manager Terry Francona delivered the news bluntly: “He’s going to have a pretty big buildup,” he told reporters, before confirming that Lowder won’t pitch again this season. His next action might not come until the Arizona Fall League, following a similar recovery path to what Matt McLain took after missing all of 2024 with a shoulder injury.

This is a significant hit to a Reds rotation already dealing with mounting injuries. Hunter Greene, the staff ace, remains sidelined. Carson Spiers, also on the 60-day IL, had his rehab assignment cut short and could be headed toward a season-ending outcome similar to Lowder’s.

With the MLB trade deadline just over a week away, this news throws Cincinnati’s plans into question.

Rotation Depth Dwindling Fast

While Nick Lodolo and Andrew Abbott continue to pitch at a high level, the rest of the rotation is full of question marks. Chase Burns is operating under an innings limit, Nick Martinez has been inconsistent, and Brady Singer is fresh off one of his worst outings of the year.

In addition to Greene and Spiers, both Julian Aguiar and Brandon Williamson remain unavailable. And now, depth is even thinner after Aaron Wilkerson opted out of his deal and signed with the St. Louis Cardinals.

There is some help at Triple-A, where Chase Petty and Brian Van Belle are both active for the Louisville Bats. However, Petty has struggled in his limited big-league appearances, and Van Belle—acquired from Boston—has posted a 4.26 ERA across five starts since the trade.

Krall at a Crossroads

Hovering around the .500 mark, the Reds have yet to declare themselves buyers or sellers. But with a depleted rotation and dwindling internal options, President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall may be forced to act.

If the Reds are serious about contending down the stretch, the time may have come to explore external help—particularly a back-end starter—to stabilize the rotation and keep playoff hopes alive.