Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo came to Dayton on Sunday, April 26 for a four-inning rehab assignment. But he and the fans got more than they expected.
Lodolo pitched so well and so efficiently that he pitched five innings and earned the win in the Dragons’ 3-0 victory over South Bend.
He assured all that he didn’t go back out for the fifth just to get the win. He laughed at the suggestion.
“I needed to hit my pitch count,” he said. “Got the workload in that I needed to.”
Lodolo threw only 42 pitches through the first four innings. So he pitched the fifth and threw nine pitches to reach 51 for the day. He allowed two hits, no walks and struck out seven. He showed no signs of the troublesome blister on his left index finger that sent him to the injured list before the start of the season.
“Finger wise felt good – I'm really happy about that,” he said. “Biggest thing for me out there today, I'm thinking, is literally just how many strikes can I throw and just get my feet back under me. It was exciting to be out there.”
Lodolo said he continues to assess and research how to avoid the recurring blister problems in the future.
“I've tried a lot of different things, and still trying new things this go around that hopefully stick – fingers crossed,” he said. “Believe me, I've researched a lot on this type of thing. I'm happy that today went well.”
Lodolo’s performance, which included 39 strikes, impressed Dragons manager Julio Morillo.
“He was lights out,” Morillo said. “Even though it was against an A ball team, I thought he threw the ball really well. He takes that stuff in the big leagues, it's still going to be good because he was executing pitches.”
The only hiccup was a high bouncer back to the mound that he had to leap for. The ball bounced off his glove and he had to hurry a throw to first that hit the runner for an error.
Lodolo pitched a simulated game Tuesday to prepare for Sunday. He and the Reds will evaluate Sunday’s performance and recovery before making a decision on his next move whether that’s another rehab start or a return to the Reds’ starting rotation.
Lodolo returned to Day Air Ballpark for the first time since 2019 when he made two starts for the Dragons and allowed two runs over seven innings. He joined the team late in the season after being drafted out of TCU and making six starts in the rookie league. He began the 2021 season in AA Chattanooga.
“Always good to be back here, obviously not on the IL, but good,” Lodolo said. “A great place, great fans and everything.”
Lodolo pitched to 20-year-old Alfredo Duno, the Reds top-rated minor-league prospect. The two teamed up during a bullpen session in spring training.
“He knew what to expect a little bit,” Lodolo said. “He did a great job. He's going to be really good for the Reds one day. He's young, for sure, but great kid, and he works hard.”