Overton's stellar season interrupted by injury

CINCINNATI -- One of the few feel-good stories of the 2022 Reds season was the sudden jolt journeyman pitcher Connor Overton gave to their rotation over the past month. That only heightened the disappointment felt when it was learned Monday that Overton’s year will be interrupted for an extended period by a back injury.

Placed on the 60-day injured list, Overton was shut down from throwing for at least 6-8 weeks because of a bone bruise that caused a stress reaction in his lower back. He was initially scratched from Sunday’s scheduled start at Toronto but had planned to resume throwing on Monday. That changed when doctors went over his MRI exam and spotted the issue.

“I’m super bummed out,” Overton said. “It is extremely frustrating because I was in a good spot mentally and physically, or at least I thought. I was throwing the ball well. I felt like I was contributing to the team in a way I wanted to. It was another bump in the road, unfortunately. I’ve had surgeries where I’ve been out. Thankfully there is no surgery this time. Just a long period of building back up.”

Since joining the rotation on April 30, Overton is 1-0 with a 1.82 ERA in four starts and quickly became Cincinnati’s most dependable starter and the first to pitch at least six innings and have a quality start this season. In his last start, on May 17 at Cleveland, he worked 7 2/3 innings and allowed two earned runs and three hits for a no-decision in a 5-4 victory.

“It’s weird because I felt perfectly fine after seven innings. Two days later, I can’t walk,” Overton said. “I guess I had been throwing through it for a while but I didn’t feel anything.”

A veteran of six organizations and two independent clubs, the 28-year-old Overton debuted in the Major Leagues last season and appeared in nine big league games for the Blue Jays and Pirates. After Pittsburgh released him, he signed a Minor League contract with Cincinnati in November.

“It’s very difficult for a player like Connor, who has worked so hard to get here and then he has really great success. He pitched himself into a Major League rotation,” Reds manager David Bell said. “He dominated, if you look at what he did. He was set up to have a great season. There’s nothing he did wrong. It’s all out of his control. It’s just one of those things. It’s a hard game, a physical game and it led to an injury. Can’t do anything about it.”

Bell did not name a replacement in the Reds’ rotation for Overton, who had his next turn slated for Friday vs. the Giants. The short list of candidates should likely include No. 7 prospect Graham Ashcraft, who filled in for Overton on Sunday vs. the Blue Jays and pitched 4 1/3 innings while giving up two earned runs and four hits with two walks and three strikeouts in his big league debut.

Left-hander Mike Minor, who has yet to pitch this season because of a shoulder injury, is currently slated to make his fourth rehab assignment start later this week for Triple-A Louisville. Minor is expected to join the Reds’ rotation following the start for Louisville.

In the meantime, Overton will be limited to mobility and upper body work but will have to avoid rotating with his back. That means no throwing, which will delay his return until some time in the second half of the season.

“He definitely showed everyone in our organization that he could pitch here,” Bell said. “He did accomplish that. When he comes back, that will put him in a good spot. Nothing he can do right now.”