Overview
- Lowder threw 45 pitches in a three-inning simulated game at Citi Field on Wednesday and reported that his shoulder felt good.
- If he continues to feel healthy, the Reds plan to send him on a Triple-A rehab assignment with an expected 70-ish pitch limit next Tuesday.
- An MRI taken after Lowder left his May 7 start showed no structural damage, so the team has focused rehab on range of motion and retraining the right-shoulder muscles.
- Manager Terry Francona emphasized cautious, stepwise management and said a return to the major-league rotation after one successful rehab outing is possible but not guaranteed.
- Lowder was the No. 7 pick in 2023, missed all of 2025 with arm and oblique issues, and arrives at this rehab after a mixed 2026 start sequence that has left the Reds monitoring rotation health closely.