Reds Notebook: Rhett Lowder struggles in Dayton on rehab

A year ago Rhett Lowder was in Dayton as a part of the Dayton Dragons. On Sunday he was with them again, but this time it was on a rehab appearance after reaching the big leagues last season and then beginning this year on the injured list with a forearm strain.

This time around for Rhett Lowder didn’t go as well as any of his starts with the Dragons in 2024. A dropped catch by the first baseman began the inning. Then Lowder walked the next batter – the same hitter who hit two home runs against Wade Miley on Saturday – before the second stolen base of the inning by the leadoff hitter that then saw the catcher throw the ball into the outfield and bring in a run. He would strike out the next three batters to get out of the inning, but needed 25 pitches to get through the inning. His last pitch of the inning was a 96 MPH fastball.

The 2nd inning didn’t go any better. He gave up a line drive single to the first hitter of the inning and then he hit the next batter with a slider. The next two batters grounded out and struck out, but it turned the lineup over and the Loons leadoff hitter took a slider and grounded it into right field for a 2-run single.

His 3rd inning started with a strikeout on a change up. But he then gave up three straight singles, with the last of them driving in two runs. Lowder was able to get a fly out and a ground out to follow and end both the inning and his outing.

All told, Rhett Lowder’s final line was: 3.0 innings, five hits, five runs, four earned runs, one walks, one hit batter, and five strikeouts. He threw 63 pitches with 45 strikes. Through his two rehab starts so far he’s allowed six earned runs in 6.0 innings and given up nine hits and a walk,but he has struck out 10 batters.

While you couldn’t watch his first start because it was out in Arizona, his start on Sunday in Dayton showed that his secondary stuff just wasn’t there yet. It was more location than anything else with his slider and change up – he just caught too much of the plate with both pitches a bit too often.

Rehabbing in Louisville

Sunday afternoon in Louisville also saw two other pitchers on rehab assignments. Sam Moll and Ian Gibaut both took the mound for the Bats in the game. Moll threw a shutout 7th inning, but did give up two singles in the inning to go along with picking up a strikeout. Gibaut followed him and threw a perfect 8th inning with two strikeouts.

For Sam Moll it was his 8th game during his rehab appearance with Louisville as he works back from shoulder impingement. He had some early struggles, but he hasn’t allowed a run in his last three outings and has five strikeouts with a walk in those 3.0 innings. He began his rehab assignment on April 22nd, so he can only spend the next 10 days in the minor leagues before the team has to decide what to do as his rehab time will be up.

Ian Gibaut last pitched on April 25th for the Reds against Colorado. He landed on the injured list shortly after with shoulder impingement. Sunday was his first game on rehab assignment. He made easy work of Omaha, throwing 13 pitches with nine strikes and topping out at 96 MPH.