Imagine starting pitcher Nick Lodolo in the Cincinnati Reds bullpen for the start of this weekend’s big series against the New York Mets, with all those lefty angles and nasty stuff just a phone call away in a big spot.
Lodolo did.
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“That’s what I wanted to do,” said Lodolo, who has recovered from the flu-like bug that knocked him out of his start earlier in the week against the Toronto Blue Jays. “I had talked about it with (pitching coach Derek Johnson).
Nick Lodolo was scratched from his last start because of illness, but volunteered to pitch out of the bullpen during the New York Mets series when he felt better.
“But I think they wanted me to just get some good days of throwing in before I get back on the mound.”
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Lodolo, who has pitched just once in the last month because of a finger blister that put him on the injured list for three weeks in August, rejoins the rotation Sept. 8 in San Diego for the opener of another big series against the playoff-positioned Padres.
The Reds trailed the Mets by five games for the final National League playoff spot as the weekend series opened, with the San Francisco Giants in between, a game in front of the Reds.
“It sucks I had to miss one the other day,” said Lodolo, who can’t be certain what kind of length he’ll be able to provide given the lack of starts lately and the recent bug.
“I would assume I’ll be fine,” he said. “I didn’t throw off the mound in a game for 20 days and threw 75 pitches and was fine in that Dodger outing (Aug. 27). I’m assuming I can probably do the same thing.”
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That could be especially big if the Reds are able to have a big weekend against the Mets. Maybe even as big as having Lodolo available as a weapon against the Mets.
“Even when it’s not convenient you’ve got to do the right thing,” manager Terry Francona said. “Having Nick throw in the bullpen (Friday) night, that’s pretty risky to him. That’s not right. Let’s get his legs under him and hopefully when he pitches, he’ll be Lodolo. That’s the goal.”
The Reds fell behind 8-1 quickly to the Blue Jays and lost 12-9 in the bullpen game they waged when Lodolo was sent home with a fever and chills Sept. 2.
“I know it didn’t go well,” Lodolo said. “I wanted to be there for the boys and everybody, and just go out there and try to win a game, obviously with the spot we’re in. But looking back on it, it’s probably best that I didn’t. I was down bad that day.”
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Here’s how the Reds rotation lines up for the next two big series:
Friday vs. New York Mets — LHP Andrew Abbott (8-5, 2.65)
Saturday vs. New York Mets — RHP Brady Singer (12-9, 4.08)
Sunday vs. New York Mets — RHP Hunter Greene (5-4, 2.70)
Sept. 9 at San Diego Padres — RHP Zach Littell (9-8, 3.81)
Sept. 10 at San Diego Padres — Abbott
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds’ Nick Lodolo offered to pitch out of bullpen vs. Mets