The Reds were dealt a tough blow on the pitching front this week. Rookie right-hander Rhett Lowder, who has been sidelined all season with a forearm strain, suffered a new setback during a rehab start for Triple-A Louisville on Thursday.
Manager Terry Francona told reporters, including Mark Sheldon of MLB.com, that Lowder sustained a “fairly significant” strain of his left oblique. While the team is still awaiting imaging results from Friday morning, the injury will clearly delay Lowder’s return to the major league rotation.
Lowder, 23, was selected seventh overall in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Wake Forest. He moved quickly through the minors and made his big league debut last August, partly due to injuries on the roster. He held his rotation spot through the end of the season, making six starts and posting a 1.17 ERA over 30 2/3 innings. Though his strikeout and walk rates in the majors weren’t as strong, he showed promise in the minors, striking out over 25% of batters with just a 5.4% walk rate across 22 starts.
He was in the mix for a spot in the Reds’ rotation this spring but reported elbow soreness during his offseason throwing program, prompting the team to ease him into action. Lowder began the year on the injured list and was sent to the team’s complex in Arizona on May 6. After one appearance at High-A, he was promoted to Triple-A Louisville and made his first start on May 16, allowing four runs while recording just one out. On Thursday, he threw a scoreless first inning before injuring himself on the first pitch of the second.
The Reds are expected to end his current rehab assignment and will likely move Lowder to the 60-day injured list when they next need a 40-man roster spot. The move can be backdated to Opening Day, so it won’t affect his eligibility to return after this weekend.