Cincinnati Reds pitcher Rhett Lowder’s 2025 campaign was derailed before it ever began.
As soon as the team reported to Goodyear, Arizona for spring training in February, Lowder was shut down with a nagging elbow issue and never threw a pitch in Cactus League play.
The setback left a hole in Cincinnati’s rotation from day one, and while the rest of the roster broke camp for Opening Day, Lowder stayed behind in Arizona to focus on recovery.
Just as he began ramping up toward a potential return, he suffered yet another setback—this time a strained oblique.
By mid-June, the Reds officially ruled him out for the season and eyed the Arizona Fall League as a possible next step in his rehab.
But over the weekend, news broke that Lowder will throw a bullpen session Tuesday, with another lined up for Friday if all goes smoothly.
Manager Terry Francona even hinted that Lowder could make it back onto the active roster before the regular season ends.
Rhett Lowder,
That unexpected update could be a game-changer.
Cincinnati already planned to shift Chase Burns and Nick Martinez to the bullpen for the season’s final stretch, but the addition of Lowder would give the relief corps an even bigger lift—and potentially reshape the Reds’ playoff push.
A return to the rotation isn’t realistic—there simply isn’t enough time for Lowder to build up innings, and the starting spots are locked in.
But if he proves fully recovered from the oblique strain, the former first-round pick could debut in 2025 as a late-inning weapon out of the bullpen.
It’s still far from certain, but his upcoming bullpen sessions may determine whether that comeback becomes reality.
Even if he doesn’t pitch this year, the progress is an encouraging sign for both the Reds’ future and their 2026 rotation.
