Reds are hoping Nick Lodolo's risky change finally ends a frustrating cycle

The Cincinnati Reds baffled a lot of fans with a frustratingly quiet trade deadline performance, but it's not fair to suggest that the front office sat around refusing to pull the trigger on a loaded gun. A lot of their best ammunition was sitting around on the injured list, keeping the team from cashing in as one of the true sellers on the market.

Starting pitcher Nick Lodolo belongs in that bucket, and he's been on the IL since mid-July with yet another blister injury. It's the fourth time in the past three years that he's had to miss time due to that exact malady, which has sapped him of a tremendous amount of upside. His talent isn't hard to spot, but as they say, the best ability is availability.

The good news is that Lodolo is finally taking steps toward correcting this problem. After years of proving resistant to change, the 28-year-old southpaw is tinkering with the grips of his breaking balls; specifically, he's changing the finger placement when he releases his curveball.

It's a sizable gamble given how effective the pitch has been throughout his career, but this is a long overdue change that could keep him on the mound for longer stints.

Nick Lodolo's new curveball grip might determine his next steps with the Reds

Lodolo made his first rehab appearance this week, and though the raw results weren't pretty — he allowed three runs and five hits over 4⅓ innings — his new-look curveball offered some promise. He threw the pitch 15 times, generating seven strikes (one whiff) with a Stuff+ score of 113 (100 is average). That's not too shabby for a first outing with a new grip.

It'll be important to monitor the efficacy of that pitch as he makes his way back to Cincinnati next week — he's scheduled to start on Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox.

The curveball has been Lodolo's best offering for some time, and anything that messes with its shape or location could threaten his overall profile. Between 2022-2025, opposing hitters didn't manage an expected batting average against the pitch above the Mendoza line, and even in 2026 that figure sits at an impressive .253 xBA.

There's been chatter about moving Lodolo to the bullpen to help him stay healthy, but that would deprive the Reds of a legitimate mid-rotation option; last season, he posted a 3.33 ERA over a career-high 156⅔ innings while cutting his walk rate to a career-low (4.8%). Stashing that kind of talent in the bullpen would be foolish unless absolutely necessary.

If the curveball falters (or worse, the blister injuries return) once Lodolo is back in the big leagues, bigger picture conversations will be warranted. For now, Reds fans have to hope that this new grip will be the key to keeping him on the mound.

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