Reds Pitcher Nick Lodolo Injured Again, Exits Early During Rehab Start

The Cincinnati Reds came into the season with injury issues ravaging their pitching staff. Hunter Greene underwent elbow surgery to remove bone spurs on his pitching elbow and is out until July at the earliest. Brady Singer had an issue in spring training with a blister, but he's been fine to pitch through it. Nick Lodolo, who dealt with blister issues last season, began the year on the injured list with another blister this year.

Things seemed to be moving in the right direction for Lodolo. He was scheduled to start the Thursday night opener for the Low-A Daytona Tortugas. For the Reds, this rehab start was seemingly more to do with seeing if he could keep his blister under control and less to do with his arm's ability to perform. That's likely why he was sent to Low-A and not Triple-A or Double-A like most rehab starts.

Lodolo was slated to start on Thursday, and if all went well, he was set to join the Reds in Miami early next week. That didn't happen. Instead, the left hander is dealing with another injury.

Nick Lodolo Leaves Rehab Start Early

Mar 12, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Cincinnati Reds pitcher Nick Lodolo against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Lodolo retired the first eight batters he faced with four strikeouts. He was dominant, and it seemed like he was going to cruise to around 60 pitches before exiting the rehab appearance.

Instead, Lodolo left the game with a blister on his left index finger. It's awful news for a key piece of the Reds rotation.

The lefty is likely back to square one after a short appearance for the Daytona Tortugas. Lodolo has been plagued by blister issues throughout his career.

What's Next for the Reds, Nick Lodolo?

For the Reds, this means they're going to need to continue relying on Chase Burns, Rhett Lowder, and Brandon Williamson at the backend of their rotation. Lowder and Burns looked excellent in their first starts of the season, but Williamson struggled a bit. Either way, these three are going to be crucial if Lodolo remains out.

It's hard to guess what's next for Lodolo. He's likely back to where he started. He's going to need to take some time off to try to heal the blister. The Reds need to be open to any sort of new ideas to potentially prevent it from coming back. At this point, these blisters have been a problem for multiple seasons. The Reds need to find a way to keep him on the mound. He's a key piece of their rotation and one of the best pitchers they have when he's healthy.