Healthy Nick Lodolo Hoping to Be Even Better After Career Best Season

Nick Lodolo got the start for the Reds in Saturday’s spring training game against the Kansas City Royals.

Lodolo worked into the fourth inning and allowed one run while striking out four. He tossed 3+ innings, allowed six hits, one earned run, two walks and had four strikeouts. He threw 32 of his 58 pitches for strikes. His spring ERA is down to 1.80.

The left-hander is coming off the best season of his career where he sported a career-best ERA of 3.66 and appeared in a career-high 29 games.

Lodolo has always had nasty stuff, but it sneaks up on guys becuase he isn't talked about nationally as one of the game's best pitchers.

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“A lot of guys are like, ‘Woah,’” Andrew Abbott told Charlie Goldsmith. “It’s a very surprising look. (Lodolo) has that stuff. He had the best hitter in the game getting fooled. He does that to quite a lot of people. There’s not a lot that can’t be said about him. He deserves everything he will get. When he’s healthy, everyone has seen how dominant he can be.”

New Reds reliever Pierce Johnson called him one of pitchers he enjoys watching the most.

“He has a lot of limbs coming at you,” Johnson said. “He has a bit of a funky delivery. He punches out a lot of guys. He’s one of those guys who’s fun to watch.”

While the Reds wait to find out more about Hunter Greene's elbow injury, Abbott and Lodolo are both guys they'll look to lead the rotation if he's forced to miss any time.

When Lodolo's stuff in on, he's one of the most underrated pitchers in Major League Baseball. The 28-year-old is eligible to become a free agent at the end of the 2027 season. If Lodolo has another great year on the mound, the Reds might have a tough decision to make next offseason.

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