Connor Phillips Injury News & Updates

Phillips allowed three runs on five hits and three walks while striking out nine batters over five-plus innings in a no-decision against Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Phillips was staked to a 9-0 lead through three innings, and he looked to be in line for a relatively easy win when he left the game with an eight-run lead after giving up consecutive singles to begin the sixth. However, the Reds' bullpen allowed both of those baserunners to score and surrendered three additional runs in the frame, and the Pirates attacked for seven more runs over the seventh and eighth innings to storm back for the win. Despite that outcome, Phillips made a positive overall impression in the outing, racking up 13 whiffs and a career-high nine punchouts. He's posted a solid 26:10 K:BB over 20.2 innings on the campaign and lines up for one more regular-season start, which is tentatively slated to come in St. Louis next weekend.

Phillips is scheduled to start Saturday's game against the Pirates at Great American Ball Park.

After striking out seven and limiting the Twins to two runs on three hits and one walk over seven innings in his most recent start Monday, Phillips looks like he'll stick in the Reds rotation over Ben Lively. With off days Thursday, Monday and next Thursday, the Reds look as though they'll be able to close out the regular season with a streamlined four-man rotation as they aim to chase down a wild-card spot. Assuming Phillips is able to hold his own in the matchup with the Pirates, he would line up for one final start the following weekend in St. Louis.

Phillips (1-0) earned his first career win Monday, allowing two runs on three hits and one walk over seven innings in a 7-3 win against the Twins. He struck out seven.

Phillips looked strong in his third career start, using 93 pitches to carve up the Twins over seven innings for the win. He struck out five different batters for his seven total punchouts. The only blemishes on his start were two solo shots yielded to Royce Lewis and Alex Kirilloff. Phillips has thrown to the tune of a 5.74 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 17:7 K:BB over his first 15.2 innings.

The Reds selected Phillips' contract from Triple-A Louisville ahead of his scheduled start Monday against the Twins.

He'll be making his third start of September with the Reds after posting an 8.31 ERA and 1.85 WHIP in 8.2 innings between his first two big-league outings. After Monday, the Reds will be able to get by with a four-man rotation for the rest of the season as they look to chase down a playoff spot, so Phillips could be a candidate to return to Triple-A immediately after the start.

The Reds plan to recall Phillips from Triple-A Louisville to start Monday's game against the Twins, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Though Phillips was sent back to Louisville on Thursday, he'll be eligible to return to the Reds without spending the minimum 15 days in the minors because he had initially joined Cincinnati earlier this month as a replacement for a player placed on the COVID-19-related injured list. The Reds have four other healthy starting pitchers and three more off days over the final two weeks of the season, so Phillips may just be making a spot start Monday if manager David Bell chooses to get by with a four-man rotation the rest of the way. Phillips has been one of the Reds' top pitchers in the upper levels of the minors this season but labored in his first two big-league starts, striking out 10 over 8.2 innings while allowing eight earned runs on 10 hits and six walks.

Phillips was returned to Triple-A Louisville on Thursday, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Phillips allowed three runs over four innings in a spot start Wednesday in Detroit. Because he was up as a COVID-19 replacement, the rookie right-hander can return at any time. He is a candidate to draw another start next week.

Phillips will start for the Reds on Wednesday in Detroit, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

It's Andrew Abbott's turn, but the Reds will give Abbott at least one extra day of rest amidst his recent struggles. Phillips is an intriguing young arm but struggled in his major-league debut last week against the Mariners, yielding five runs over 4.2 innings.

Phillips did not factor into the decision Tuesday, allowing five runs on six hits and two walks over 4.2 innings against the Mariners. He struck out seven.

The 22-year-old served up a two-run homer to Teoscar Hernandez in the first inning and a three-run blast to Julio Rodriguez in the fifth. Despite exiting the game with a 5-1 deficit, Phillips was able to avoid taking a loss in his big-league debut thanks to Cincinnati's late rally. It remains to be seen whether the right-handed rookie will draw another start for the Reds while 60 percent of their starting rotation is currently on the COVID-19 injured list.

Phillips is scheduled to start Tuesday's game against the Mariners in Cincinnati, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Phillips was called up from Triple-A Louisville on Saturday as a replacement for Brandon Williamson (illness), who became the fourth Reds pitcher to land on the COVID-19 injured list in recent days. The Reds didn't need Phillips in relief for the final two games of their weekend series with the Cubs, so the 22-year-old right-hander will end up filling a hole in the depleted Cincinnati rotation, at least temporarily. Between stops with Louisville and Double-A Chattanooga in 2023, Phillips has compiled a 3.77 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 154:57 K:BB across 105 innings.

Phillips is a candidate to start a game as the Reds deal with multiple absences in the starting rotation, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Cincinnati added Graham Ashcraft (toe) to the injured list Saturday, and he joins fellow starters Hunter Greene, Brandon Williamson and Ben Lively, all of whom are on the COVID-19 list. The absences leave openings in the starting rotation over the next four days. Carson Spiers will make his MLB debut Sunday, and Phillips could follow soon after. The 22-year-old right-hander last started for Triple-A Louisville on Thursday, when he pitched six scoreless innings with six strikeouts. If the Reds give him a spot start, his five-day schedule comes due Tuesday at home against the Mariners.

The Reds added Phillips to the active roster Saturday to replace Brandon Williamson (illness).

With Williamson landing on the COVID-19 IL on Saturday, Phillips will come up from the minors for his first stint in the big leagues. The Reds also placed Graham Ashcraft (toe) on the 15-day injured list Saturday, allowing Phillips to fill the open starting rotation spot Wednesday against Seattle.