Cincinnati Reds Hit With Tough Rotation News Just Before Opening Day

For the most part, the Reds were able to stay pretty healthy through Spring Training. Pitchers Hunter Greene and Caleb Ferguson were already set to open the season on the injured list. On Tuesday, after he played catch earlier in the day, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Enquirer announced that Nick Lodolo will also start the season on the IL.

With Lodolo set to open the season on the injured list, the first time through the rotation will look like this:

Andrew Abbott vs. Red Sox
Brady Singer vs. Red Sox
Rhett Lowder vs. Red Sox
Chase Burns vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Brandon Williamson vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

As mentioned above, Lodolo played catch and threw about 15-20 pitches, but didn't feel great.

"Reds’ Lodolo (blister) played light catch for maybe 15-20 throws this afternoon,"Wittenmyer wrote on X. "Francona, trainer, front office officials convened after. Lodolo said he didn’t know what plan would be. Said it was OK but didn’t sound particularly enthused. Team says 'working on it.' IL in play."

Lodolo's History With Blisters

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo (40) is visited at the mound by Terry Francona and the training staff before leaving the game in the seventh inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. The Reds won, 2-1. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Lodolo has a history of blister issues. In 2021, the left-hander dealt with them while pitching for Double-A Chattanooga. In 2024, he landed on the injured list because of a blister, and once again last August, he missed 23 days during the middle of a playoff push.

He’s previously said it stems from how he grips his curveball. When asked about adjusting that grip, he wasn’t interested, noting the pitch hasn’t been effective when he’s tried it.

While it's great to have pitching depth, it's very frustrating for Reds fans to watch Lodolo continue to not consistently be available due to the same injury over and over again.

What This Means for the Rotation

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns (26) watches Hunter Greene throw a bullpen session at the Cincinnati Reds player development complex in Goodyear, Ariz., on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With Greene and Lodolo set to open the season on the injured list, the Reds desperately need their inexperienced pitchers in Burns, Lowder, and Williamson to step up.

The Reds think highly of all three of these pitchers. They traded for Williamson in the deal that sent Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez to Seattle.

They drafted Rhett Lowder with the seventh overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.

They drafted Chase Burns with the second overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. Burns looked sharp in the Spring Training finale on Tuesday, throwing five innings, giving up two runs on four hits, and striking out seven. He did not walk a batter.

It also means that the two veterans in the rotation, Andrew Abbott and Brady Singer, need to step up and lead this staff. Burns, Lowder, and Williamson will all likely show flashes of being great, but they'll need Singer and Abbott to be who they've proven to be throughout their career.

News and Notes

The Reds reassigned Garrett Hampson and PJ Higgins to minor league camp after Tuesday's game.