A second MRI on the injured elbow of Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brandon Williamson Wednesday revealed a full UCL tear that will require Tommy John surgery.
Williamson said in the Reds’ clubhouse that he doesn't have a timeline yet for the surgery.
The Martin County West graduate said he had no indication anything was wrong with his elbow until the second-to-last pitch he threw Tuesday night against the Atlanta Braves' Michael Harris II, in the second inning.
"No red flags. I felt fine," said Williamson, who had a rough first inning he attributed to "mechanics" issues.
"I threw a changeup (to Harris) and felt a little tweak there," he said to the Cincinnati Enquirer. "But pitchers feel stuff all the time, so I didn't think too much of it. The next pitch it just went. I just felt it."
Williamson missed most of the season with a shoulder injury that he feared at one point this summer would require surgery. He rehabbed well enough to return Sept. 1 and make four appearances, looking dominant until struggling Tuesday night.
"It kind of came out of nowhere," said Williamson, one of the Reds' best starters as a rookie last season. "I’d never had any elbow issues. So, when it happened, I knew something felt wrong, but I didn’t know what."
An MRI Tuesday night revealed damage, he said, and a subsequent MRI with a dye injection for contrast imaging Wednesday revealed the full tear.
Recovery and rehab from Tommy John surgery typically takes more than a year.
Asked if he’s had time to comprehend what lies ahead in 2025, he said, “I know what next year looks like; I just went through most of it this year.
“It’s my challenge now. It’s my career,” he said. “I’m going to make the best of it. Pouting or being upset about it doesn’t help it at all. I’ll just keep laying bricks.”
Williamson was in thick of the Reds' rotation picture for this season until the shoulder injury derailed his spring. And after his return from that injury (2.08 ERA in his first three games back), he was considered an important part of next spring's starting pitching mix.
Manager David Bell said he was ready to size up what the loss of Williamson might mean for the Reds' starting pitching plans and depth heading into a critical 2025 season for the organization's competitive rebuild.
"I'm thinking about Brandon the individual right now," Bell said. "I haven't spent any time thinking about how it affects the team."
Bell said he's hopeful there remains a realistic chance Williamson can return in time to contribute late next season. That seems unlikely at best, given the apparent severity of the tear and typical recovery time (up to 18 months).
"I feel like most guys come back the same if not better, which is good news," Williamson said.