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GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 12: Nick Lodolo #40 of the Cincinnati Reds gets set to throw a pitch during a Spring Training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch on March 12, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The good news is that Cincinnati Reds lefty Nick Lodolo isn’t really injured, per se. He’s once again dealing with a blister issue on his left (throwing) hand, one that popped up in his final appearance of Cactus League action down in Arizona during a record-touching heat wave.
Apparently, though, it’s bad enough that they want to be careful with him – so careful that they’re going to place in him on the IL to begin the season. Gordon Wittenyer of The Enquirer relayed the news on Tuesday evening, noting that the Reds will use their deep set of starters to stack Rhett Lowder, Chase Burns, and Brandon Williamson in the rotation behind Opening Day starter Andrew Abbott and Brady Singer.
Given the decision to do the move to the IL right now, though, means that Lodolo will only miss the first 12 days of the regular season. That stretch of games includes a pair of days off, meaning the Reds are effectively going to skip him roughly one and a half times through the rotation (depending upon how they choose to line things up for a road trip that takes them first to Texas and then Miami.)
Is it great news? Obviously not.
Is it terrible news? Not really.
The Reds have five starting pitchers of incredible quality lined up right now to start the season despite the fact that Hunter Greene is on the 60-day IL and Lodolo, too, is now on the shelf. They’ll be able to carry an extra reliever now that their ‘six for five’ starting conglomerate has been thinned again, and while that’s a test of their depth to start the season it’s also an immediate testament to the depth they’ve built up.
The biggest hope here, of course, is that a blister issue that has haunted Lodolo multiple times already in his career has gotten itself out of the way right now, and won’t be a further problem down the road this season by taking the time right now to make 100% sure it’s right.
The fine folks at Razzball are still very much saying ‘giddy up’ about Cincinnati’s starting pitching.
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