Nick Lodolo injury history: Every ailment that has plagued Lodolo throughout career

For the Cincinnati Reds to make some noise in a crowded NL Central, they're going to need leaps forward from some of their key young players. Chief among them is the oft-injured southpaw starter, Nick Lodolo.

Once ranked by MLB.com as the seventh-best left-handed starting pitcher prospect in the game, Lodolo has struggled to live up to his sky-high potential. A prime example of the old adage, "the best ability is availability," Lodolo has struggled to stay on the mound since making his debut in 2022.

From 2022 through 2024, Lodolo averaged just 84.1 innings pitched per season. His high-water mark came last season, when he made 21 starts and pitched 115.1 innings despite landing on the IL four different times.

Nick Lodolo's lengthy injury history has consistently held him back

Inconsistent playing time has led to inconsistent results, and despite eye-popping strikeout numbers (10.46 career K/9), Lodolo has seen his ERA range from a promising 3.66 in 2022 all the way up to a putrid 6.29 in 2023.

While injuries are a part of the game, Lodolo's variety of ailments is cause for concern. His injury history is lengthy and varied, indicating that it's not just one chronic problem that has troubled him.

In 2022, what was originally thought to be a minor back injury held him out for two months. In 2023, a stress reaction in his left tibia ended his season after just seven starts. In 2024, however, minor bugaboos kept the lefty cycling through IL stint after IL stint.

Last season, Lodolo hit the IL early with left calf tenosynovitis, the result of a setback from his 2023 tibia injury that sidelined him from March 27th until April 13th. Not long after, he hit the IL again, this time with a groin injury that landed him on the IL from May 12th until May 27th.

He'd hit the IL two more times in 2024. A blister on his left index finger kept him out of action from June 24th until July 9th. Finally, following an August 22nd start against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Lodolo was shut down with a sprained left middle finger, prematurely ending his season.

While Lodolo has avoided any serious arm injuries that can threaten a pitcher's career, his ailments have ranged from minor to severe and have consistently held him out of action during his young career.

After a solid opening start to the season, the Reds will be hoping that the lanky lefty has left the injury bug in the past. If so, he could be a key part of their present and their future. If not, it might be time to give up on the Lodolo dream.

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