Rhett Lowder, the Cincinnati Reds’ rookie right-handed pitcher, is being placed on the 15-day injured list due to a shoulder problem, manager Terry Francona confirmed on Sunday.
The 24-year-old underwent an MRI on Friday that came back clean, but he received an injection in the AC joint of his right shoulder. Francona emphasized the decision was precautionary, saying, “We don’t want to just put a Band-Aid on it. We want this kid to pitch effectively for a long time without interruptions. Hopefully, a couple weeks off will do him a lot of good.”
Lowder struggled in his last start against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, allowing three runs on one hit (a home run) and four walks over three innings in an 8-3 loss. He took the loss, dropping to 3-3 with a 5.40 ERA in eight starts this season.
For his career with the Reds, Lowder holds a 5-5 record and a 3.52 ERA in 14 appearances, all of which have been starts.
