Photo: Doug Gray
The Cincinnati Reds have placed left-handed starting pitcher Nick Lodolo on the 15-day injured list with a blister on his index finger that popped up in his start last night in Chicago that led to him exiting the game against the Cubs in the second inning of the Reds 3-2 win. For the time being the Reds are going to call up a reliever to bolster their bullpen which is taxed after the debacle at Bristol and then having to go through five relievers yesterday after Lodolo left. Yosver Zulueta is getting the call up from Triple-A Louisville.
This is not the first time that Nick Lodolo has dealt with a blister issue. He spent time on the injured list with the same issue last year. He missed the minimum amount of time with the injury last year. Time will tell how long he’ll be out this time around, though he did downplay the severity of it following the game last night.
This will not be the first time in the big leagues this year for Yosver Zulueta. He was called up in early May and pitched in two games against the Washington Nationals, throwing 2.1 innings with one earned run.
It’s been a good season in Triple-A for the right-handed reliever, but he’s been downright dominant over the last two months. Dating back to June 4th he’s pitched in 16 games and thrown 24.0 innings for Louisville and posted a 1.50 ERA in that time. Zulueta has picked up some velocity since earlier in the year, too. That could be one of the reasons that he’s given up just 14 hits – and just one one home run – to go along with 32 strikeouts and nine walks during this 2-month stretch. Opposing hitters are hitting just .167/.278/.250 against him in 97 plate appearances over that time frame.
What the Reds decide to do when Nick Lodolo’s spot in the rotation rolls back around is up in the air. Perhaps they just go the easy route and have Nick Martinez slide into the spot before moving back to the bullpen when Hunter Greene is ready to rejoin the rotation after his next rehab outing. That seems like it could make the most sense, but maybe there’s something else in their plans.
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