Reds pitcher Brandon Williamson will have Tommy John surgery

— Reds starting pitcher Brandon Williamson said Wednesday that he has a completely torn UCL, which will require Tommy John surgery.

The left-hander was forced to leave the game against Atlanta in the second inning on Tuesday night with an elbow strain. He limped to the mound for a bit and was replaced in the field by Fernando Cruz.

“It just came out of the blue,” Williamson said, adding that he underwent two MRIs to diagnose the tear.

Williamson, a second-round pick in the 2019 amateur draft, suffered a shoulder injury during spring training. The 26-year-old made his first major league start of the season on Sept. 1. It was the first of four starts this year.

“The first inning just kind of played out like baseball,” Williamson said. “I would say I was feeling a little uncomfortable, not physically wise. As far as mechanics, I was probably changing a little bit. In the second inning I came out after a long first inning, I felt like I had to put in a little extra effort, to get warmed up and get going. Again a long first at-bat. There was no red flag for me. I was feeling fine. I think on the third pitch (to Michael Harris II), I threw a changeup. I felt a little change. I tell everybody, if you’re a pitcher, you feel something all the time. I didn’t think too much about it. So the next pitch I felt it.”

Williamson allowed three runs in 13 innings in three games before Tuesday. He gave up three runs in the first inning before getting hurt. He finished the season with an unconfirmed record and a 3.77 ERA.

“He’s still young and athletic,” Reds manager David Bell said. “Obviously, he’s not going to be on the field on opening day. I don’t have any real idea of ​​a timeframe. I think as soon as we find out, I hope we have a realistic goal of getting him back in time for next year’s season.”

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