Reds pitcher Brandon Williamson revealed on Wednesday that he has a complete UCL tear, necessitating Tommy John surgery. The injury occurred during Tuesday night’s game against the Atlanta Braves when Williamson left the game in the second inning due to an elbow strain. He was replaced by Fernando Cruz promptly after. Williamson mentioned that he underwent two MRIs to confirm the tear.

The left-hander, a second-round pick in the 2019 draft, had suffered a shoulder injury earlier in spring training. This season, the 26-year-old made his first major league start on September 1, which was one of four starts he had this year. Williamson expressed surprise at the injury, stating that in the first inning, he felt a bit off physically and mechanically, and when he threw a change-up in the second inning, he felt a tweak.

Prior to Tuesday’s game, Williamson had pitched 13 innings in three appearances, allowing three runs. Unfortunately, he surrendered three runs in the first inning before leaving the game due to the injury, completing the season with a 3.77 ERA and no wins or losses. Reds manager David Bell acknowledged Williamson’s talent and youth, noting that he will not be available for the opening of next season but adding that they do not yet have a definitive timeline for his return. Bell hopes Williamson can rejoin the team before the end of the next season.