Terry Francona Curiously Leaves Out Important Detail When Explaining Nick Lodolo Decision

This was a bizarre.

Aug 12, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona (77) in the dugout before the game against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Nick Lodolo made his second start since returning from the injured list on Sunday and just his third start overall since beginning his rehab process. The left-hander made only one minor league rehab start before returning to the Reds’ rotation, throwing 65 pitches in that outing as the organization continued to carefully build him back up.

With Lodolo still working his way back to a full workload, his usage was always going to be something to watch closely. However, what Reds manager Terry Francona said after Sunday’s game didn’t tell the entire story about why Lodolo’s afternoon ended when it did.

Francona was asked directly if Lodolo was on a pitch count and he responded that Lodolo was “out of gas” and made it clear he wasn’t going to send his starter back out after Lodolo indicated he was finished.

“When a pitcher says ‘I've had it’, I'll never send them back out," Francona told Mike Petraglia.

Lodolo Told a Different Story

Aug 16, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo (40) pitches against the Miami Marlins in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Lodolo also spoke to the media after the game. He told a different story.

"I would like to go six innings, especially with what we have tomorrow, but I understand it and it's a process...Would I have liked to pitch six innings? Yeah. I only had two more pitches to work with anyway. I think I had a cap at 75-80 (pitches)," Lodolo told Petraglia.

Francona’s Comments Led to Immediate Criticism of Lodolo

Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona (77) sits in the dugout in the seventh inning of the MLB Interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Athletics at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026 The Reds won the second game of the series, 3-2. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Reds fans are already frustrated with Lodolo’s inability to stay healthy, especially after he landed on the injured list twice this season because of blister issues that have given him problems throughout his career. Francona’s postgame comments only added fuel to the fire. Without mentioning that Lodolo was on a 75-pitch limit, fans and even some media outlets that didn’t see Lodolo’s postgame comments were left with the impression that he simply told Francona he was done. That quickly led to criticism on social media, with some fans questioning Lodolo’s toughness and even calling him “soft.”

The problem is that Lodolo’s comments after the game provided important context that changes how the situation should be viewed. Lodolo was pulled after throwing 73 pitches, just two shy of the 75-pitch limit he said he was under. With that context, telling Francona he was out of gas makes a lot more sense than it did based solely on the manager’s explanation.

That’s what makes Francona’s comments so strange. There’s a big difference between a pitcher asking out of a game with no restrictions and one saying he’s done when he’s basically reached his pitch limit. For whatever reason, Francona left that part out, and it led to Lodolo taking plenty of criticism without fans knowing the full story.