CINCINNATI – The Cincinnati Reds are navigating the complexities of player contracts as the deadline to avoid arbitration hearings passed on Thursday. Two players, Tyler Stephenson and Graham Ashcraft, failed to reach agreement on contract extensions, with their reported differences amounting to less than $1 million combined.
In an unexpected twist, Brandon Williamson, who was speculated to be arbitration-eligible, missed the Super-Two deadline by just one day. This is significant because Matt McLain, who made his Major League debut on May 15, 2023, is now Super-Two eligible, allowing him to enter arbitration after just two seasons of service time. In contrast, Williamson made his debut a day later, on May 16, against the Colorado Rockies, which places him outside the Super-Two eligibility window.
The implications of this situation extend to other players as well. Elly De La Cruz, Andrew Abbott, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and Noelvi Marte, who all debuted later in the season, will not be eligible for arbitration until after the 2026 season.
Williamson, a left-handed pitcher, experienced a challenging 2023 season, finishing with a record of 5-5 and a 4.46 ERA over 23 starts. He struck out 98 batters while opponents averaged .248 against him. Unfortunately, Williamson did not participate in the entirety of the 2025 season due to a torn UCL, which required Tommy John surgery. He began the current season on the injured list with a shoulder strain, which delayed his return until September 1. Shortly thereafter, he faced another setback, tearing his UCL again in just four appearances.
In an interview with Mark Sheldon, Williamson reflected on his challenges. “I know what next year looks like. I just went through most of it this year,” he stated. “It’s my challenge now. It’s my career. I’m going to make the best of it. Pouting or being upset about it doesn’t help at all. I’ll just keep laying bricks.” When asked about the sudden nature of his injury, he noted, “It kind of came out of nowhere. I hadn’t really been feeling anything in my elbow for, dare I say, my career. I’ve always been more of a shoulder guy.”
Should Williamson recover and be ready for the start of the next season, he could provide the Reds with an additional rotation option. This would alleviate some pressure from fellow rookies Rhett Lowder and Chase Burns. The team has already felt the absence of Nick Martinez and Zack Littell, but the potential return of Williamson, alongside Julian Aguiar, who also faced a UCL injury shortly after him, could strengthen their roster heading into Spring Training.
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