Nick Lodolo lands on injured list with groin strain in latest blow to Reds roster

Oof.

The current Cincinnati Reds roster looks like a piece of paper you accidentally left in the back pocket of your jeans and ran through the washer and dryer.

Just days after key centerfielder and leadoff man TJ Friedl landed back on the injured list for a second time this season, the Reds have officially placed key starter Nick Lodolo back on the injured list for a second time, too. The team announced the news prior to the start of Wednesday’s series finale in Arizona, noting that lefty Sam Moll had been recalled to take his roster spot.

Lodolo, who lost effectively all of 2023 with a tibia injury that took forever to diagnose (and forever-ever to get over), missed the first portion of the 2024 season while working his way back from said injury. He’s been pretty brilliant since returning, too, pitching to a 3.34 ERA, 2.90 FIP, and stellar 0.94 WHIP across 6 starts.

The assumption is that the versatile Nick Martinez will move back into the rotation while Moll rounds out the bullpen. Keep in mind the Reds are set to face off against the Los Angeles Dodgers 7 times between tomorrow and May 26th, and Lodolo was originally scheduled to start the series opener in LA opposite Tyler Glasnow.

Nothing about this Reds season has gone to plan, and this is the latest major hurdle. Hopefully, this is the type of injury that heals quickly, though that’s something we’ve been unable to say about any Reds player so far in ‘24.