Cincinnati Reds Place Starting Pitcher on Injured List, Call up Familiar Face

The Cincinnati Reds made a roster move on Tuesday afternoon, placing starting pitcher Nick Lodolo on the injured list due to a finger issue and recalling right-handed pitcher Yosver Zulueta from Triple-A Louisville to fill his spot.

Lodolo was forced to exit Monday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs prematurely, leaving in the second inning after experiencing discomfort in his pitching hand. According to the left-hander, the issue came on suddenly during an at-bat.

“It really kind of just came up out of nowhere,” Lodolo explained following the game. “I struck out Castro and didn’t feel anything at all. Then I threw a slider to Turner, and it felt like the skin on my finger ripped. When I looked down, I saw a blister forming with a bubble under the skin and a whole bunch of fluid. I’ve been through this before, and I knew if I tried to push through it, I could make things worse. I’ve done that in the past, and it took way longer to recover. So I made the decision to stop before I did any more damage.”

The blister concern is a frustrating setback for Lodolo, who has been in the midst of the most impressive season of his young Major League career. Through 20 starts, the 26-year-old southpaw has compiled an 8–6 record with a 3.05 ERA. He’s racked up 124 strikeouts across 129 2/3 innings, consistently providing quality outings for a Cincinnati rotation that has battled injuries throughout the year.

With Lodolo temporarily sidelined, Zulueta will now get another opportunity at the big-league level. The 26-year-old reliever has spent most of the season in Triple-A but has shown flashes of promise with his power arm and strikeout potential. His role with the Reds will likely be determined based on how the team handles their pitching staff in Lodolo’s absence.