Reds make painful (and predictable) move but one looming choice raises the stakes

Nathaniel Lowe was informed over the weekend that he'd be part of the 2026 Cincinnati Reds Opening Day roster, but there was a problem — he was a minor-league. In order to clear a spot on the 40-man roster, the Reds made the one move every fan knew was coming. They placed Hunter Greene on the 60-day IL.

Greene reported elbow discomfort a few weeks ago, and further testing revealed that he was dealing with bone spurs and loose bodies that would require surgery. The Reds flamethrower underwent an arthroscopic procedure, and is likely to be on the shelf until July.

In early-February, Lowe agreed to a minor-league deal with a non-roster invite to big-league camp. In a battle that came down to the final week of spring training, Lowe edged out JJ Bleday and Rece Hinds to earn the final spot on the Reds Opening Day roster.

Lowe posted a .262/.354/.571 slash line across 18 Cactus League games this spring and expected to serve as a bench option for the Reds this season. Bleday and Hinds were both optioned to Triple-A and will begin their 2026 season in Louisville.

Will Reds starter Nick Lodolo join Hunter Greene on the injured list?

The fallout from Greene's injury pushed the Reds to carry six starters on the Opening Day roster. But two minor injuries have thrown a monkey wrench into the team's plans with the start of the season just two days away.

Brady Singer suffered a blister on his right hand that forced him to leave his final Cactus League start prematurely. Singer returned to the mound on Monday evening for exhibition game against the Milwaukee Brewers, threw 78 pitches, and lasted four innings. The results weren't good, but the fact that Singer remained in the game for four innings is a good sign.

Nick Lodolo is battling a blister of his own on his left index finger. This is an issue that's plagued Lodolo for the past two seasons, and the extreme temperatures during his final start in Arizona were to blame for this latest injury.

It's unlikely that Lodolo will make his scheduled start on Saturday against the Boston Red Sox. The Reds now have two choices. They can either push Lodolo's first start of 2026 into next week, or add him to the injured list alongside Greene.

If Lodolo begins the year on the IL, the Reds must decide whether or not to add another starter like Chase Petty or Julian Aguiar, or fill out the bullpen with another reliever like Zach Maxwell or Luis Mey.