Another Cincinnati Reds pitcher is going on the injured list. The roster move hadn’t been made official as of Reds manager Terry Francona’s morning meeting with reporters on May 10, but Francona announced Rhett Lowder was headed for the 15-day IL.
The decision to place Lowder on the IL was taken after team officials were to check on the 23-year-old pitcher following some long tossing prior to Cincinnati’s May 9 game at Great American Ball Park. Prior to that, Lowder was knocked out of his May 7 start against the Chicago Cubs due to what the team called shoulder discomfort.
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On May 2, Lowder was hit hard by the Pittsburgh Pirates and allowed eight runs in less than two innings.
“It’s not been done year but our thought was we’re trying not to put a bandaid on something,” Francona said. “We want this kid to be able to pitch, and pitch for a long time and not get interrupted so, hopefully, a couple weeks down will do him a world of good.”
Lowder can throw during his IL stint, Francona said, adding that it probably wouldn’t be off a mound in the short term.
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The biggest pitching development of the Reds’ series against the Houston Astros, which concluded May 10, was the return of Nick Lodolo. He started the May 8 series opener and the outing was thought to be a good starting point. He allowed four runs, but those runs came on two pitches that resulted in two two-run homers for Houston.
But nearly as soon as Lodolo was back in the fold, Lowder was lost to the IL. That meant the Reds have three starters out for the foreseeable future with staff ace Hunter Greene‘s return from March elbow surgery still months away, and No. 5 starter Brandon Williamson on the 60-day IL.
Another turn through the rotation started May 10 as Opening Day starter Andrew Abbott took to the mound for Cincinnati.
Brady Singer, initially the No. 2 starter as of Opening Day but a projected No. 4 starter prior to losing Greene and Lodolo to the IL in March, is listed as next up for Cincinnati when it hosts the Washington Nationals May 12 at Great American Ball Park.
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The team is off May 11.
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Cincinnati Reds face Houston Astros in series. See photos
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns (26) delivers a pitch in the first inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros, Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
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Cincinnati Reds face Houston Astros in series. See photos
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns (26) delivers a pitch in the first inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros, Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
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Cincinnati Reds face Houston Astros in series. See photos
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Spencer Steer (7) tags out Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) in the first inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros , Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
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Cincinnati Reds face Houston Astros in series. See photos
Houston Astros pitcher Spencer Arrighetti (41) delivers a pitch in the first inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros , Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
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Cincinnati Reds face Houston Astros in series. See photos
Houston Astros shortstop Braden Shewmake (28) is embraced by teammates after hitting a homer in the fifth inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros , Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
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Cincinnati Reds face Houston Astros in series. See photos
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) hits a single in the fifth inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros , Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
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Cincinnati Reds face Houston Astros in series. See photos
Cincinnati Reds right fielder Will Benson (30) scores in the fifth inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros , Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
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Cincinnati Reds face Houston Astros in series. See photos
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Spencer Steer (7) slides safely into second base in the fifth inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros , Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
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Cincinnati Reds face Houston Astros in series. See photos
Houston Astros catcher Christian Vázquez (2) tags out Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain (9) in the fifth inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros , Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
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Cincinnati Reds face Houston Astros in series. See photos
Houston Astros catcher Christian Vázquez (2) gestures after tagging out Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain (9) in the fifth inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros , Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
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Cincinnati Reds face Houston Astros in series. See photos
Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) misses a catch in the sixth inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros , Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
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Cincinnati Reds face Houston Astros in series. See photos
Cincinnati Reds third baseman Sal Stewart (27) celebrates after stealing third base in the sixth inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros , Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
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Cincinnati Reds face Houston Astros in series. See photos
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brock Burke (49) delivers a pitch in the seventh inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros , Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
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Cincinnati Reds face Houston Astros in series. See photos
A Cincinnati Reds fan heckles Houston Astros players in the eighth inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros , Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
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Cincinnati Reds face Houston Astros in series. See photos
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Graham Ashcraft (23) celebrates after closing out the eighth inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros , Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
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Cincinnati Reds face Houston Astros in series. See photos
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Pierce Johnson (52) delivers a pitch in the ninth inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros , Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
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Cincinnati Reds face Houston Astros in series. See photos
Cincinnati Reds fans cheer for Cincinnati Reds pitcher Pierce Johnson (52) after closing out the ninth inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros, Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati. Reds won 3-1.
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Cincinnati Reds face Houston Astros in series. See photos
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) and Cincinnati Reds right fielder Will Benson (30) celebrate a 3-1 win against the Houston Astros, Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
The May 13 starting spot is listed as “TBD” for now while Lodolo will go May 14, and the Reds also don’t have a starter announced for the May 15 series opener at Cleveland.
Reds closer Emilio Pagán was lost to the 15-day IL during the Cubs series for a hamstring strain.
Several available pitchers have also battled inconsistency since the calendar turned to May. That contributed to the team’s eight-game losing streak, which it snapped with a 3-1 win May 9 against the Astros.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds starter Rhett Lowder headed for the injured list