Cincinnati Reds open without 2 top starters as Nick Lodolo lands on IL
· Yahoo Sports
MILWAUKEE – The Cincinnati Reds are wasting no time testing their once-vaunted starting pitching depth.
Visit bettingx.club for more information.
With Nick Lodolo’s latest blister battle forcing him to the injured list, the Reds are down two starters to open the season, including ace Hunter Greene, who’s expected to be sidelined until July because of bone-chip surgery.
Lodolo, who played catch gingerly for maybe 15 or 20 throws two days before the opener to test the fitness of the affected index finger, would be eligible to return from the IL on April 7 in Miami, which means missing the first 10 games of the season. The club can backdate the 15-day IL move by three days.
Lodolo, who had been scheduled to start the Reds’ second game of the season March 28 against the Red Sox, missed three weeks last August because of a blister on the same finger.
He said this one is in a different area and smaller than last year’s. Team officials said they didn’t want to push his timeline to have him open at the back of the rotation and risk aggravating the finger, then losing him for a longer stretch.
The immediate result is that an enviously deep rotation is down to five capable big-league starters, not all of whom are stretched out enough to count on 100-pitch starts the first time through – potentially putting a heavier burden on the bullpen early.
The Reds entered spring training with seven legitimate, big-league-experienced starting candidates for five spots. After Greene went down, they ultimately settled on a six-for-five-spots formula in which the young trio of Chase Burns, Rhett Lowder and Brandon Williamson would job-share the fourth and fifth spots.
Now that Lodolo joins Green on the IL, veteran Brady Singer – who had his penultimate spring start abbreviated because of his own blister problem – moves up from No. 3 to No. 2 in the order, behind Andrew Abbott.
Chase Burns and rookie Rhett Lowder combined for all eight innings in a loss to the Brewers in the final exhibition game Tuesday, with 10 combined strikeouts. Neither walked a batter.
The Reds’ full opening rotation looks like this:
- LHP Andrew Abbott, March 26 vs. Boston Red Sox (First-time All-Star last year, threw 84 pitches in last spring outing 3/21).
- RHP Brady Singer, March 28 vs. Red Sox (Led staff in games, innings in 2025; 78 pitches in 4 IP vs. Brewers 3/23)
- RHP Rhett Lowder, March 29 vs. Red Sox (6-start, 1.17-ERA debut in 2024 before two injuries wiped out 2025; finished 3/24 game vs. Brewers with 3 scoreless IP, 50 pitches).
- RHP Chase Burns, March 30 vs. Pirates (Debuted last season, struck out 10 in four of last 5 GS in ’25; 68 pitches in 5 IP vs. Brewers 3/24)
- LHP Brandon Williamson, March 31 vs. Pirates (After impressive debut in 2023, missed end of 2024 and all of ’25 for Tommy John surgery; makes final exhibition start 3/25).
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds open without 2 top starters as Nick Lodolo lands on IL