CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds have been dealt a significant blow to their pitching depth, as right-hander Carson Spiers is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery, effectively ending his 2025 season and putting his 2026 campaign in serious doubt. The news was first reported by MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon on Saturday afternoon.
The 26-year-old Spiers hasn’t pitched in a big league game since early April, originally shelved due to a shoulder impingement. After months of rest and rehab, the Reds initiated a minor league assignment in early July to ease him back into game action. However, the optimism surrounding his recovery quickly faded when Spiers began experiencing soreness in his biceps—symptoms that prompted further medical evaluation.
An MRI revealed damage to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his pitching elbow, confirming that surgery was necessary. The procedure not only ends any hopes of a late-season return in 2025 but also casts serious doubt over his availability for the entirety of 2026. Given the standard 13- to 15-month recovery timeline following Tommy John surgery, the Reds may not see Spiers back on a Major League mound until the early part of 2027—barring a minor return late next season for evaluation purposes.
While sidelined, Spiers will continue to earn Major League service time, both through the remainder of this season and on the 60-day injured list next year. It’s a small silver lining for a pitcher who has carved out a unique path to the majors.
Spiers’ professional journey is anything but typical. He was one of many college players caught in limbo during the COVID-shortened 2020 MLB Draft, which was reduced to only five rounds. Undrafted but undeterred, he signed with Cincinnati as a free agent and methodically climbed the organizational ladder.
He made his MLB debut in September 2023 with a handful of appearances, and by 2024 had earned a more stable role in the Reds’ pitching staff. That season, he appeared in 22 games—10 of them starts—and threw 90 2/3 innings. Though not dominant, his versatility as both a starter and long-relief option made him a valuable piece on a young and evolving roster.
Spiers’ 2025 campaign was cut short after just three outings—two of them starts—totaling 13 1/3 innings pitched. His overall Major League numbers across 117 innings include a 5.69 ERA, with a 19.3% strikeout rate and 7.7% walk rate. While those figures may not leap off the page, his contributions as a swingman and innings-eater gave the Reds flexibility and depth that now becomes harder to replace.
His minor league track record has been slightly stronger, though even that was tested during his brief 2025 rehab stint with Triple-A Louisville. Over 16 2/3 innings there, Spiers posted a 5.94 ERA—a stretch where health, not performance, was the top priority.
The Reds have not yet announced any corresponding roster moves or updates on how they plan to fill the innings left behind by Spiers’ absence. Still, with rotation injuries and bullpen inconsistencies already challenging Cincinnati’s depth this season, the loss of a versatile arm like Spiers could have ripple effects in the coming weeks.
As the Reds look to stay competitive in the second half, all eyes will now turn to the rest of the pitching staff—and to Spiers’ long road back from surgery. If history is any guide, the journey will be long, but not impossible. For a player who’s already beaten the odds once by making it to the majors, the next comeback chapter begins now.
