Injury setbacks derail Cincinnati Reds’ playoff push
ANAHEIM — The Cincinnati Reds had high hopes for a late-season playoff push with the healthy returns of Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo, but a recent development has potentially derailed those plans.
Lodolo, who has been sidelined since mid-May with a stress reaction in his left tibia, experienced a setback during his most recent rehab start for Triple-A Louisville on Sunday.
“He dealt with that all that time and then he felt something in there again and it showed something on the MRI,” Reds manager David Bell said on Tuesday.
Lodolo began his start against Iowa on a positive note, keeping the opponents scoreless for the first two innings. However, he struggled in the third, allowing two singles and three walks that led to a pair of runs before being taken out of the game.
“It kind of happened around that third inning of the game he was pitching in,” Bell explained. “He’s getting a second opinion right now but the MRI showed a stress reaction, so it’s just a reoccurrence. Obviously, it’s concerning news, but I don’t have anything beyond that.”
Lodolo was on track to pitch five innings in one more rehab start before potentially returning from the injured list on August 30. However, his setback makes that scenario highly unlikely.
In his seven starts this season, the 25-year-old left-hander posted a 2-1 record with a 6.29 ERA. He had a strong start to the season, going 2-0 with a 2.12 ERA in his first three starts, but struggled in his last four outings, going 0-1 with a 10.38 ERA.
Lodolo’s setback follows a disappointing return for Hunter Greene on Sunday. Greene allowed nine runs, eight of which were earned, and gave up 10 hits over three-plus innings against the Blue Jays. He tied a career high and club record by surrendering five home runs in a 10-3 loss.
With the 28th-ranked rotation ERA (5.38), Cincinnati is facing limited options to fill its starting five for the final month of the season if Lodolo is unable to return.
Ben Lively, who is currently on a rehab assignment with Louisville, has been on the injured list since August 2 due to a right pectoral strain, his second occurrence of the injury. He is expected to throw 85 pitches in one more rehab start and could be available for the Reds in the first week of September.
Another option is Brett Kennedy, who pitched five scoreless innings in his previous start against Toronto on August 18. However, rookie Lyon Richardson, who is on the taxi squad, may not be a likely choice as he has limitations on his innings.
The Reds now face an uphill battle to secure a spot in the playoffs, as injuries to key pitchers have hampered their chances. They will need to find alternatives to fill their starting rotation and hope for a strong final month of the season to keep their playoff hopes alive.