Cincinnati Reds pitcher Nick Lodolo on blister injury vs. Cubs
Cincinnati Reds starter Nick Lodolo is 3-1 with a 1.81 ERA in his last eight starts. He’s likely headed to the IL because of a finger blister.
CHICAGO – The Cincinnati Reds figure to get an updated measure of their pitching depth when they make some moves to help a stretched-thin bullpen crew after a second straight bullpen game Monday, Aug. 4, created by starter Nick Lodolo’s early exit because of a sudden finger blister.
Lodolo, who spent two weeks on the injured list last year because of a finger blister, appeared likely headed there again after Reds front office officials met after the game with manager Terry Francona, who said they had more details yet to talk through.
“He’s already better, which is good. I certainly think we’re going to err on the side of caution,” Francona said, “because he’s dealt with this before. And you don’t ever want this to turn into something else, like arm-wise or something like that. We’ll do the right thing.
“You can’t just do the right thing when it’s convenient.”
Lodolo, who said he was fine through the first five batters he faced until the blister presented after he threw a first-pitch breaking ball to Justin Turner with two out in the second.
He immediately motioned to the dugout and moments later exited with the trainer.
“We got 2 2/3 innings out of our starters the last two games,” Francona said, referring also to a one-inning start for Chase Burns before heavy rain suspended the Speedway Classic game in Tennessee over the weekend.
“That’s tough.”
It’s especially tough given the rising stakes on the season as the Reds chase a playoff berth following the addition last week of three players at the trade deadline.
“He’s been one of the best pitchers in baseball his last 4 or 5 starts,” said closer Emilio Pagán of what’s actually a seven-start streak for Lodolo in which he’s 3-1 with a 1.81 ERA.
But the timing isn’t as bad as it could be either.
One of the players acquired at the deadline, Zack Littell, makes his first start for the Reds on Tuesday, Aug. 5, against the Cubs.
His arrival shifted Nick Martinez’s role from the rotation to the bullpen, where he became a key to Monday’s impromptu bullpen-game win by taking over for Lodolo and pitching 2 1/3 innings – the day after warming up twice to enter a game in Tennessee that he never got in.
“We’ve said it about Martinez all year long: This guy’s incredible,” Pagán said. “What he means to this team, to this organization − it’s not an ideal situation for him, especially after being hot two times. To go out there and give us what he did (Monday) speaks to the human and just a super talented player.”
Martinez said he hadn’t heard anything specific about what might be coming for him if the anticipated Lodolo IL move is made. But he is the obvious candidate to move right back into that role – which would presumably come for Lodolo’s next scheduled turn, Saturday, Aug. 9, at Pittsburgh.
“I’m prepared to do whatever we need to do to win,” he said, “whatever the team asks of me.”
The Reds were working Monday night on what fresh pitching they’ll add for the bullpen from Triple-A Louisville. That could be a corresponding move for Lodolo.
Meanwhile, Opening Day starter Hunter Greene (groin) was to have one more minor-league rehab start, Friday, Aug. 8, before being evaluated for a possible return from the IL. He threw 66 pitches for Louisville Sunday and fared well.
As for whatever might come next, nobody in the clubhouse flinched. Workhorse reliever Scott Barlow even talked about his group having a mindset of “bring it on.”
And Pagán said of the team, “We talked about it as we’re not going to have any excuses moving forward.”