Triple-A Louisville placed Phillips on the 7-day injured list due to shoulder fatigue, Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline reports.

EDGE Analysis

Phillips enters 2025 with a lot to prove, beyond his health, as he walked 15.3 percent of batters at Triple-A in 2024 after walking 13.5 percent of the batters he faced in the majors in 2023. He has the stuff for late-inning work, but he would still need to improve his control to succeed in a high-leverage relief role.

The Reds optioned Phillips to Triple-A Louisville on Monday.

EDGE Analysis

Phillips reached the big leagues for the first time in 2023 and made five starts for the Reds, but he appears to have since been passed up by other arms on the organizational pitching depth chart. Though he closed the 2024 campaign on a high note with a 2.49 ERA and 24 strikeouts over 21.2 innings in his final five outings, his season-long ratios at Triple-A were still unsightly (8.01 ERA, 2.03 ERA, 4.3 K-BB% in 78.2 innings). Phillips' control problems once again cropped up this spring, as he had walked six of the 19 batters he faced in Cactus League play. He'll likely need to have a sustained run of success at Triple-A before garnering consideration for a return to the big leagues.

Phillips recorded a 2.49 ERA while striking out 24 over 21.2 innings in his last five starts in 2024.

EDGE Analysis

Phillips, who made his major-league debut in 2023, was rocked hard at Triple-A Louisville last year. The Bats sent him to the Arizona Complex League in late June after 14 starts with a 10.11 ERA, 7.9 BB/9 and 2.4 HR/9. After a two-month reset in the desert, the 23-year-old right-hander returned to Louisville, where he finished strong. Phillips then pitched in the Arizona Fall League and, apart from one clunker, was effective. He needs to find the strike zone with more consistency -- he walked 14 batters in 19.1 innings in the AFL -- but he made adjustments and is pitching better following the lowest point of his professional career.

Phillips was assigned to the Arizona Complex League on Tuesday.

EDGE Analysis

Phillips has loud stuff, but his control and command have been major weaknesses throughout his career. He gave up 23 earned runs in 10.1 innings over his three most recent starts for Triple-A Louisville, and the assignment to the complex will presumably allow him to work on some mechanical stuff that's easier to address in a less competitive environment.

Phillips allowed four runs on six hits and five walks while striking out six over 4.1 innings for Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday.

EDGE Analysis

Phillips is getting rocked in the International League, logging an 8.29 ERA and 2.08 WHIP with as many walks (28) as strikeouts through eight starts. The right-hander, who made his MLB debut last season when the Reds suffered injuries to starters, pitched credibly during Cactus League action, but Phillips is struggling to throw strikes at Triple-A -- he has a 7.1 BB/9 in 19 career outings for the Bats. It doesn't look he's in a position at this stage to help the parent club if the Reds need a rotation fill-in.

The Reds optioned Phillips to Triple-A Louisville on Wednesday, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

EDGE Analysis

Phillips has a 5:3 K:BB over six scoreless innings this spring but nonetheless finds himself sent to minor-league camp. The talented 22-year-old could still wind up making a decent number of starts for the Reds this season, but there are currently others ahead of him in the pecking order.

Phillips walked one and struck out two over two hitless and scoreless innings in Tuesday's spring game against the Cubs.

EDGE Analysis

Phillips turned in a strong performance in his spring debut, following an equally impressive outing from starter Frankie Montas. Due to injuries in the Reds' rotation last season, the 22-year-old right-hander was forced to make his MLB debut earlier than expected. Cincinnati has a number of starter candidates in camp and may not be so reliant on its prospects in 2024. Phillips is expected to be part of the rotation at Triple-A Louisville.

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.

EDGE Analysis

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.

EDGE Analysis

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.

EDGE Analysis

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.