Cincinnati Reds rookie left-hander Brandon Williamson (illness) will make his return to the starting rotation on Tuesday to face the Detroit Tigers after a bout with COVID. Williamson missed two weeks while on the COVID injured list, so even though it's a nice matchup against Detroit, the 25-year-old southpaw will be a pretty shaky fantasy streamer in his return to the mound. He looked good in his two starts before contracting the virus, but Williamson has been inconsistent in his 19 starts for the Reds in 2023, going 4-4 with a 4.20 ERA (4.51 FIP), 1.24 WHIP, 33 walks and 87 strikeouts in 98 2/3 innings pitched. Expect him to be on some sort of pitch count on Tuesday against the Tigers.

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Brandon Williamson won't make his scheduled start on Sunday due to COVID-19, according to manager David Bell. The team hasn't officially placed Williamson on the injured list, but that will likely happen soon. This is bad timing considering Williamson has been a key piece to the starting rotation this season. The Reds already have multiple starters sidelined, so it's uncertain who is going to make the start on Sunday.

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Brandon Williamson came up one out short of a quality start on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Williamson gave up two hits and two walks while striking out six and allowing one run over 5 2/3 innings. The lefty was pulled after throwing 88 pitches, 55 for strikes. He lowered his ERA to 4.33 on the season. The Reds will hope Williamson can continue this form his next time out, which should occur over the weekend versus Toronto.

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Brandon Williamson earned his first big-league win in Tuesday's 5-4 game against the Royals. Williamson pitched five innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits (including a two-run home run) and no walks with one strikeout. The 25-year-old has been one of many intriguing young pitchers called up this season, although he hasn't provided a ton of fantasy value with a 5.40 ERA, 6.24 K/9 rate, and 3.69 BB/9 rate in six starts. His next start should be a middling matchup against the Rockies at home. While Williamson is a name to keep an eye on in keeper and dynasty leagues, fantasy managers in re-draft leagues may want to avoid him at this time.

Cincinnati Reds top 10 prospect Brandon Williamson will take the hill on Tuesday to face the Colorado Rockies, according to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. The 25-year-old hurler has never pitched in the Majors, and his minor-league numbers aren't too encouraging. Over four seasons, Williamson owns a 4.06 ERA, including a 6.62 mark this season, with a 1.42 WHIP, 27.6% strikeout rate, and 11.4% walk rate. Fantasy managers should be patient with the left-hander and see how he adapts to big-league hitters before adding him from the waiver wire.

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brandon Williamson will reportedly start the team's first Cactus League game, per a tweet from MLB.com's Mark Sheldon on Tuesday. Williamson, a former second-round pick of the Seattle Mariners in 2019 who joined the Reds in the Eugenio Suarez trade, pitched to a 4.11 ERA, 123 strikeouts, and 77 walks in 122.2 innings split between Cincinnati's Double-A and Triple-A affiliates in 2022. As of now, the National League Central club's other rotation options include Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Graham Ashcraft, Luke Weaver, Justin Dunn, Luis Cessa, and Connor Overton.