Nick Lodolo's injury vs. Cubs just made this Reds trade look like a masterstroke

Cincinnati Reds starter Nick Lodolo left Monday's game against the Chicago Cubs during the bottom of the second inning with a blister on his left index finger. Though some fans may find it hard to believe, gripping a baseball properly with a blister on one's pitching hand is nearly impossible.

Lodolo dealt with a similar injury in 2024 and was forced to miss time on the IL. It remains to be seen if Lodolo will placed on the IL this time, but thankfully, Cincinnati has a contingency plan in place after trading for Tampa Bay Rays starter Zack Littell.

The Reds acquired Littell from the Rays last week and in return sent pitcher Brian Van Belle to Tampa Bay. Reds' A-Ball pitcher Adam Serwinowski was also part of the deal, but went to the Los Angeles Dodgers in what morphed into a three-team trade.

Nick Lodolo's injury vs. Cubs just made Reds trade for Rays' starter Zack Littell look like a masterstroke

Littell will make his Reds debut on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field against the Cubs. On the season, the right-hander is 8-8 with a 3.58 ERA and 89 punch outs in just over 133 innings of work. The 29-year-old has made 22 starts this season and was expected to replace Nick Martinez in the Reds starting rotation.

Martinez tossed 2⅓ innings of relief on Monday night, and may be ticketed for a return to the starting rotation as soon as this weekend against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Hunter Greene is working his way back from a groin injury, but reports suggested that he needs at least one more Triple-A start before making his return to the active roster.

The Reds were hoping to push both Martinez and Chase Burns into the bullpen after Greene's activation, but that plan will now be put to the test, and could be altered based on how much time Lodolo's is slated to miss.

Reds fans will get their first look at Littell on Tuesday night. The righty rarely walks batters and has a deep arsenal that he uses to keep opposing hitters off balance. In fact, his approach to the game is eerily similar to Martinez. The Reds need Littell to give several strong innings on Tuesday night after losing Lodolo in the second inning.

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