Reds’ Sims to miss rest of season due to back injury
There was no hiding the frustration in Lucas Sims’ voice as he stood in front of his locker and acknowledged his season was over.
He did everything he could to try to pitch through back pain, but it eventually became too much. He has a herniated disc in his back, which is pressed against a nerve, and he’s scheduled to undergo surgery next week in Los Angeles.
“It’s probably been there for a little bit,” Sims said. “Pitching irritated it. It just got unbearable. It’s hitting the nerve and I can’t feel my foot. That’s not good, so surgery next week.”
When surgery was recommended, Sims told the medical staff he wasn’t giving up on the season without a fight, but back pain dogged Sims all year. He missed the first couple of weeks with back spasms. He returned to the injured list on May 12 with a bulging disc in his lower back.
“I felt awful,” he said.
There were points in Sims’ rehab when he progressed to throwing, but he estimates his back flared up three times before it was determined he needed surgery.
“It got worse,” Sims said. “It went from spasms to pain around the spine and graduated into nerve pain, loss of motor skills, no strength in my foot . ... I can feel it, but it’s not good. Like when your leg falls asleep and it starts coming back, that’s kind of what it feels like.”
It was an inconsistent season for the 28-year-old Sims. He made six relief appearances, permitting seven runs on five hits and six walks in 6 innings (9.45 ERA) while striking out five. Five of the seven runs he gave up came from one relief outing.
He inherited four runners this year, and only one scored. He earned a save in his second outing of the season, pitching a scoreless ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals after making his season debut in the previous game, and he earned a winning decision on May 7.
Losing Sims is a big hit to the Reds’ bullpen, which posted a 7.17 ERA in June with five blown saves. The Reds had already lost relievers Tejay Antone and Justin Wilson for the season to Tommy John surgeries. Alexis Díaz, Tony Santillan and Vladimir Gutierrez remain on the injured list.
With surgery next week, Sims should have a normal offseason. He won’t become a free agent until after the 2024 season, and he’s eligible for his second year of salary arbitration next winter.
“It’s one of the sooner, the better things,” Sims said. “Do it now. Finish the rehab. Then I should be good to go for the offseason. It should be fine.”