Nick Lodolo finally made his long-awaited 2026 debut on May 8, but the Cincinnati Reds couldn't snap their brutal losing streak, dropping their eighth straight game against the Houston Astros.
Coming off an 0-7 road trip, the Reds hoped a return home would spark a turnaround. Instead, they were blown out in the series opener against a sub-.500 Astros team.
Lodolo, whom manager Terry Francona calls "one of the better pitchers in the game," was a crucial piece for Cincinnati this season. After a career-best 2025 campaign with 156 2/3 innings and two complete games, the left-hander was expected to anchor the rotation while ace Hunter Greene recovered from March surgery.
But baseball had other plans. On the day the Reds broke spring training camp in Goodyear, Arizona, unseasonably extreme heat caused Lodolo to develop a blister that landed him on the injured list. His first rehab attempt was cut short when the blister returned.
His second rehab stint went smoothly, with the blister holding up through starts at High-A Dayton and Triple-A Louisville. That paved the way for his 2026 debut, where he threw 78 pitches over 5 1/3 innings.
"It'll be good, and it'll be even better as we get him into the routine," Francona said. "Hopefully, there's not a lot of rust to shake off, but get him to where he's pitching every five days. That'll be really good. He's one of the better pitchers in the game, so we haven't had him and we missed him."
Lodolo's outing started strong but hit a snag in the second inning. Houston's Zach Dezenzo crushed a 95.3 mph sinker for a two-run homer, scoring Brice Matthews who had tripled earlier. The Astros led 2-0.
Lodolo settled in and worked efficiently into the sixth inning. But Yordan Alvarez had other ideas, hammering a 94.6 mph fastball 407 feet for another two-run homer, extending the lead to 4-0. After Isaac Paredes doubled on the seventh pitch of his at-bat, Francona came out to end Lodolo's night.
Final line: 78 pitches (53 strikes), five hits, four earned runs, one walk, and two strikeouts. For a pitcher who allowed 22 homers in his breakout 2025 season, the two long balls on Thursday were a frustrating reminder of the work ahead.
The Reds are hoping Lodolo's return marks the beginning of a turnaround. But for now, they're still searching for their first win in over a week.