Nick Lodolo Got His Work In Against The Los Angeles Dodger But Reds Fall

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Nick Lodolo had a rough first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Andy Pages singled and Teoscar Hernandez doubled him home. Freddie Freeman singled to the gap in left center. Hernandez scored. Alex Call walked. Max Muncy forced call at second as the Reds tried to pull off a 3-6-3 double play. Former Red Santiago Espinal shot a double inside the third base bag to score two.

Lodolo retired five straight batters but Call dropped a single in front of Noelvi Marte in right and Muncy launched his second home run of the spring.

Cole Irvin walked three Reds' batters in the third inning. Dane Myers added a single for one run.

The Reds scored twice against Myles Caba . Sal Stewart walked. Dane Myers singled him to third. Marte hit an infield single that Muncy made a diving stop to temporarily save a run. A wild pitch scored Myers.

Lodolo finished four innings, allowing six runs on six hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out three.

"I feel good," Lodolo said. "I got my work in the first inning I left too many balls over the plate and they hit them."

"Nick will be alright. He got stronger as the game went on. He left too many pitches over the plate," Francona "Then he hung a curve to a smart hitter (Muncy)."

Tejay Antone gave up a two-run home run to Hernandez but finished with two strikeouts. Yunior Marte pitched a scoreless inning. Brock Burke gave up a solo home run to Kyle Nevin. Anthony Misiewicz pitched a scoreless ninth inning.

The Reds got just six hits and struck out 10 times. The Reds led the Major League teams with 35 home runs coming into the game but didn't hit one in this 9-5 loss to the Dodgers.

Nick Lodolo Scheduled To Pitch Four Innings Against Los Angeles Dodgers

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Nick Lodolo will take on the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday (031226).

Lodolo is scheduled to start the second game of the 2026 season on Saturday March 28 against the Boston Red Sox. 

In two Cactus League appearances, Lodolo pitched in two games. He allowed one run in five innings on eight hits and two walks. He struck out eight.

The lineup behind him is:

Matt McLain 2B

Spencer Steer RF

Elly De La Cruz SS

Sal Stewart 1B

Dane Myers CF

Tyler Stephenson C

Noelvi Marte DH

Ke'Bryan Hayes 3B

Rece Hinds LF

McLain has been red hot with a .607 batting average, on-base-percentage .667 and slugging percentage 1.179.

Spencer Steer will start in right field for the first time this spring. He has already played left field, first base and second base.

Caleb Ferguson's Right Oblique Will Cost Him Two Weeks Nick Lodolo Will Pitch Game Two Brady Singer Game Three

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Left handed relief pitcher Caleb Ferguson will be out with a mild right oblique. 

"He will non throw, well I shouldn't say non-throw, they are going to try to keep his arm moving," Terry Francona said. "When we get back to Cincinnati he will be MRIed again. I think we're thinking it will be like a couple weeks, thing. It was a little bit of unique injury. He didn't feel it when he was pitching."

Ferguson, the 29-year old, is a graduate of West Jefferson High School just west of Columbus. The Reds signed him to a one-year contract on December 18, 2025.

Ferguson pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Yankees, the Houston Astros. He started last season with the Pittsburgh Pirates but ended up with the Seattle Mariners at the end of last season. He pitched in two games in the playoffs last year, two games against the Detroit Tigers and one game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Ferguson pitched in two games this spring, 1 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on six hits and three walks.

Francona announced that Nick Lodolo will pitch against the Boston Red Sox on March 28 and Brady Singer on March 29.

Andrew Abbott will start on opening day against the Boston Red Sox and Garrett Crochet.

"I actually do have a preference. I kind of like putting my lefties together. When we come into a series and you see left-right-left in the other team's rotation, you say ok this player gets a day off here, that player gets a day off there," Francona said. "When you put your lefties together, especially if it's night game, day game, you're making the other team play people they don't want to play or sit people they don't want to sit.

The temporary loss of Ferguson leaves another spot to be filled in the Reds' bullpen.

Jerry Dowling Enquirer Sports Cartoonist Will Be Missed

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Jerry Dowling, 86, passed away on March 7 and Dirty Rat will mourn his friend.

Dowling was the sports cartoonist for the Cincinnati Enquirer, who specialized in caricatures as the one used by this blog to establish recognition.

As this blog was developed it had a name and needed one that was going to be memorable. Dowling showed a caricature and his title read "Full of Schatz", at the risk of non being taking seriously, it was adopted. The use of the caricature establishes recognition.

Dowling was the cartoonist at the Enquirer from 1975 to 1980. Dowling took no prisoners, drawing cartoons and plenty of ire from his subjects, Reds, Bengals, Xavier and Cincinnati University and many, many celebrities. His drawings displayed a caustic wit.

He was banned from dining room privileges for non flattering drawings and comments from his alter ego "Dirty Rat" that appeared in many of his drawings. The Bengals pulled his press pass for a caricature lampooning Mike Brown.

Dowling took pride in the emotional stir his work caused. He was relentless. No one was safe. Not even Elvis Pressley, who at a concert held up a drawing of him. He showed the cartoon on stage and had some choice words about it.

There was a night in Great American Ball Park in which, Rob Reiner, Tom Hanks, Denise Miller and Ron Howard were there. It was a bus tour they put together to visit every Major League ballpark. The night in Cincinnati there was a long rain delay. The Reds brought the quartet to the press box level for an impromptu press conference. These three comedic geniuses were answering questions and telling stories when Dowling revealed a caricature from the back of the room of one of the members of the press. Laughter broke out in the back. The celebrities thought it was in response to something they said but it was Dowling's cartoon that caused the laughter. It was priceless. He upstaged all of them.

Dowling was born in Windsor, Canada. He was a huge hockey fan. He was frequently seen at Cincinnati Stingers game from the WHA days and the various minor league hockey teams in Cincinnati.

Jim McIntyre coined the phrase Big Red Machine on the air in 1969 when the Reds were loaded with proficient bats. The name often gets attached to the 1970 Reds because Dowling drew a cartoon in 1969 and updated it during the Big Red Machine pennant years.

His caustic wit was ever present. Even after he retired he was a regular in the press box at Reds' games. Quick with a comment almost always critical and irreverent.

I am certain the good Lord will even be lampooned by Dowling after all the Supreme being gave him such a marvelous talent

The last of Dowling's daily drivels from January 15 of this year.

Andrew Abbott Pitches Noelvi Marte Hits Reds To Win Over Milwaukee Brewers

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Andrew Abbott made his fourth Cactus League start on Wednesday (031126) against the Milwaukee Brewers at Goodyear Ballpark.

Abbott gave up a two-run home run to Gary Sanchez in the first inning. He pitched 3/2/3 innings without allowing another run. He allowed six hits a two walks with five strikeouts. Altogether it was better than his last two outings in which he gave up four runs each.

Abbott was cognizant of the fact he hadn't pitched a scorless inning until today.

"I think I'm getting back to pitching the way I want to during the season. Props to Gary (Sanchez) he hit a cutter. I'm still working on it but it didn't do what I wanted it to do and that's going to happen," Abbott said. "I don't like walking people ever but that's going to happen. I was able to work around it. My timing was better. My pitch execution was better. It was in the strike zone."

"I hadn't had a single zero in the score column in a single inning. I  was joking with Tito. I told him it was good to see at least one in there."

Abbott reported both his curve and slider were good as well as his change up.

"I thought he (Abbott) got better as he went," Terry Francona said. "He pulled some fastballs but he did get better which was really good."

Noelvi Marte had trouble with the Arizona sky all spring. Today he made two above average catches in right field. It was the topic of discussion before the game.

"How about that? It was good. That was exciting for us. He got back on the real good play in the outfield. He took some really good swings off lefties," Francona said.

Marte for some reason had trouble hitting left handed pitching last year. It put the Reds in a bind because the are a left handed dominate lineup. They need a bat to punish lefties.

Marte homered off left hander, Robert Gasser the Milwaukee Brewers' starter. He doubled in a run against Jesus Broca.

Matt McLain hit his fifth home run of the spring in the first inning. He added two singles and is now hitting a whopping .607 with an on-base-percentage of .667 and a slugging percentage of 1.846. The second baseman had an off year at the plate last season.

"It's impressive," Abbott said of McLain. "We all know what the guy can do. I'm not surprised at all. I saw him play in college. I saw him when he came up with me in 2023. The guys a gamer."

Jose Trevino hit a home run in three at bats and is hitting .316 this spring.

The Reds as a team have hit 35 home runs this spring. The hit 29 all last spring. They struck out nine times against the Brewers to bring the total to 125 in 17 games. The only team with fewer strikeouts this spring in the New York Mets with 124 but they have only played 15 games.

Tough Choices In Reds Outfield

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

The Reds will have to figure things out in the outfield. 

"There are a lot of options right now," Terry Francona said. "We have to figure some things out. We're not there yet. We have some figuring to do, which is a good thing."

The group is talented and athletic. The sun and sky in Arizona makes this a tough place to play outfield.

"We want Marte to be a really good outfielder because if he is we're a better team. Saying that, he's got to be our best right fielder. I think that's the case for every where. I think he's capable. There is more to show. He's capable of it."

Marte has had some troubles in the field this spring. His offense has been ok. He played nine games so far, hitting .231 but has three doubles and a home run in 27 plate appearances.

"Number one this is a hard place to play outfield. If you're going to get exposed, it will happen here," Francona said. "Sometimes I think it is just paying attention to detail. Marte is pretty gifted athletically. That's why we felt good about him in the outfield. That's why he's way more comfortable there. Saying that it is more anticipating. When you're at third, you're ready for right now. In the outfield you can get flat footed and one ball comes to you and it could be the game. We have definitely tried to impress upon him that. You don't want guys to react, you want them to be proactive."

TJ Friedl is a veteran. A good defensive outfielder, who is just getting ready for the season, although they have put him in left field instead of his more familiar center field. Just to get him repetitions there to accommodate Dane Myers right handed bat.

"Myers is a good defender," Francona said. 

Myers has been in eight games, hit .375 with three doubles and a home run. He has drawn seven walks and been on bast at a .565 pace.

Will Benson has played all three outfield positions this spring.

Benson has played in 10 games, hit .280 with a double and four home runs. He has a .419 on-base-percentage. His strikeout rate is down. He has fanned five times in 25 at bats. For his career he struck out once every three at bats. This spring it is once every five.

"I think Benson has been tremendous," Francona said. "Like, probably, every outfielder, he's had a couple miscues but he's played all three. He's swung the bat really well. Will is never going to shortchange you on effort or being ready. He's always that guy who stays in for an extra at bat."

Besides Benson, Friedl, Myers and Marte, Rece Hinds, Blake Dunn and JJ Bleday are competing fiercely for a spot on the roster in the outfield. 

The numbers for them so far are:

JJ Bleday has a slash line of .286/.355/.536 with one double and two home runs in 10 games.

Rece Hinds slashed .400/.444/.920 in 14 games with two doubles, a triple and three home runs.

Blake Dunn hyper extended his left knee on Friday (030626) chasing a fly ball. He is expected back in a day or two. His slash line is: .172/.263/.412 in 10 games with a double and a home run.

"He plays good defense wherever you put him," Francona said.

Spencer Steer is playing first base against the Milwaukee Brewers and played at second base and left field. Francona will put him in right field for a couple of the remaining games.

Brandon Williamson Just Wants To Play While He Competes.Reds Score Big Shut Down Rockies

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Brandon Williamson made a strong case to join the starting rotation. He pitched three scoreless innings, allowing one hit and no walks. He struck out four.

Williamson struck out Tyler Freeman the leadoff hitter after a 10-pitch at bat.

He was more efficient from there.

"The first inning I rushed a little bit. I felt I threw a lot of strikes. The had a lot of good AB (at bats) where they fouled off a lot of pitches. In the second and third I went to pitches that would get early contact. That kind of made the game go along a little quicker," Williamson said. "I haven't pitched in a while. I just wanted to see what works, throw my stuff over the plate. I wanted to see what gets hit and what doesn't."

After a long layoff, Williamson is learning how his body reacts.

"I think I understand where things are at after each outing. I've been able to adapt really well. Health has been a big part of that," Williamson said.

Williamson now has an open door to compete for a start in the rotation. Since Hunter Greene will be out for 16 weeks.

"He looked good, a good pitch mix, changed speeds. That was good," Terry Francona said. "The first at bat against him was a hell of an at bat. He got a cutter by him and took off from there."

Williamson knows he has a chance but the injury to Greene isn't his focus.

"First off it's horrible what happened to Hunter," Williamson said. "I know he's a competitor. I think he's going to be a Cy Young guy for a long time. But it really doesn't change for me, really. I haven't played in so long. I really just want to play. Whether there was one spot, two spots or five, I feel like I'd react the same. I'm trying to be the best pitcher I can be every day."

Pierce Johnson, Hagen Danner, Luis Mey, Anthony Misiewicz pitched scoreless innings. Lyon Richardson pitched an inning and a third with two strikeouts. An unearned run scored in his stint due to a throwing error by top prospect Tyson Lewis at third base.

Trevor Kuncl finished Richardson's second inning. The St. Xavier High School grad finished Richardson's inning.

"I think across the board we pitched pretty good. It was fun to watch," Francona said. "DJ thinks he's kind of interesting. There was some talk we were going to bring him to camp but we thought we could pitch him enough. He's an interesting kid."

The Reds assaulted the Colorado Rockies pitchers.

TJ Friedl had three hits, including a three-run home run. P.J. Higgins hit a three-run home run off starter Ryan Feltner. Will Benson doubled and hit a solo home run. It was his fourth this spring. Jose Trevino had two hits.

The Reds now have 32 home runs this spring. They struck out 11 times against the Rockies. They came into the game with the fewest strikeouts in MLB with 105. Last spring the Reds totaled 29 home runs the entire spring and struck out 276 times.

Brandon Williamson Takes His Shot At Starting Rotation Against The Colorado Rockies

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

The chance that Brandon Williamson has at a role in the Reds' starting rotation became less chancy with the announcement this morning that Hunter Greene will probably be on the shelf until July.

Williamson 15 months off surgery and Rhett Lowder also coming back from a lost year are two of the candidates for the two open slots.

Chase Burns is the other now that Chase Petty and Julian Aguiar have already been farmed out.

Williamson is expected to pitch three innings, an inning behind the others. Williamson has been good in his two prior spring effort. He pitched two innings against the Kansas City Royals on February 24, allowing two runs on three hits but no walks and four strikeouts. The 27-year old left hander, pitched against the Chicago Cubs on March 2, with two more innings fo hitless, scoreless baseball in which he walked one and struck out two.

The lineup behind Williamson is:

TJ Friedl DH

Sal Stewart 2B

Elly De La Cruz SS

JJ Bleday RF

Will Benson LF

Nathaniel Lowe 1B

Jose Trevino C

Rece Hinds CF

PJ Higgins 3B

Luis Mey, Pierce Johnson, Lyon Richardson, Hagen Danner  and Anthony Misiewicz will follow. The latter three must win a roster spot.

Interesting young players are on the trip. 

Alfredo Duno, Steele Hall and Tyson Lewis will likely see some time in the field.

St. Xavier and Anderson Township citizen, Trevor Kuncl is also at the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.

Hunter Greene Will Have Surgery On Wednesday

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Loose bodies in his right elbow will keep Reds ace Hunter Greene out until July.

Greene was examined in Los Angeles and by Dr. Timothy Kremchek and both concluded that arthroscopic surgery to be performed in Los Angeles by Dr. Neal ElAttrache was best.

Greene received a PRP hormone injection on October 28 and rest were prescribed but the condition didn't improve sufficiently enough for Greene to compete.

The 26-year old right hander the Reds first round pick in the 2017 draft showed signs of injury by his performance in his lone Cactus League outing against the Milwaukee Brewers on February 28.

He allowed four runs and got no one out in the first inning. Under spring training rules the Reds were allowed to take him out and put him back in for the second inning. His second inning was scoreless.

"We are hoping to have him back in 14-16 weeks or sometime around  July pitching in a Major League game," Nick Krall said. "It is definitely good news compared to what it could have been. The ligament is intact."

A repaired ligament would have kept him out for 16 months instead of 16 weeks. Greene had his ligament repaired in August 2018 and missed the entire 2019 season.

He returned in 2021 after Covid. Greene made his first big league start and appearance on April 10 in Atlanta, a 6-3 win. He pitched 7 1/3 innings of a combined no hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates with Art Warren. The Pirates scored the lone run in a 1-0 game without a hit.

The Reds have never had a full season out of Greene. He made a career-high 26 starts in 2024. He was 9-5 with a 2.75 ERA and 169 strikeouts, making the All-Star team.

"We are frustrated that he hasn't had a full season and he is probably frustrated too," Krall said. 

Greene pitched well last season. He made 19 starts and had a 2.76 ERA and 420 strikeouts in 107 2/3 innings. He had a strained groin that kept him out from June 4 to August 13. Greene pitched a complete game shutout against the Chicago Cubs on September 18.

Greene reported to pitching coach Derek Johnson a little soreness and made his last start on September 24. Greene started the first game of the National League Wild Card series against the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers on September 30. He gave up five earned runs on six hits, including three home runs in three innings.

"I know he told DJ that he felt it a little but he always told me he felt fine. We, the trainers and everybody would never send someone out there, that we didn't think should be out there, ever," Terry Francona said. "Plus I liked the way he was pitching. It is hard sometimes, if you sat everyone who had a little soreness, you wouldn't have a team but you can't look inside some one's body."

Greene consulted with Dr. ElAttrache and had a PRP hormone injection to treat the elbow on October 28.

"He said he felt really good," Francona said before his spring training start. "He said about a week before spring training he felt it that's when we started to start to monitor his elbow."

The Reds saw signs in his Cactus League start.

"You could tell he was having trouble throwing his split (split finger fastball). He didn't throw his splitter at all. You could tell he was pulling his slider. It wasn't his fastball," Krall said.

The Reds now have two starting rotation spots open instead of one.

Chase Burns, Rhett Lowder and Brandon Williamson, who himself is recovering from surgery and 15 months of rehab.

"We will miss him (Greene) there is no getting around that," Francona said. "We done a better job on our depth. We have guys coming back, like Williamson and (Julian) Aguiar. The younger guys are fighting for jobs. And it is just the way we feel about our group. They will go and compete. I don't see anyone, remotely feeling sorry for themselves. Every day you pick up your paper or your phone, there is a pitcher out. It is just the way the game is. We'll be ok."

Rhett Lowder Adjusts From Rough Start Finishes Strong

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

The Athletics jumped on Rhett Lowder for four runs in the first inning. A pair of singles and a pair of doubles around Matt McLain's fielding error set them up for three earned runs.

Lowder retired three straight batters to end the inning. A double play started by third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes ended the second frame.

Lowder finished with 3 2/3 innings. He allowed five runs, three earned on seven hits. He issued no walks and struck out four.

"I felt good. They came out swinging. I had to pitch backward. 

Matt McLain led off the Reds' first with a single and JJ Bleday launched his second home run of the spring, hitting against Jack Perkins.

Connor Phillips followed Lowder and gave up a two-run home run to Jeff McNeil on the first pitch.

Tejay Antone gave up three runs in 2/3 an inning. He gave up one run before he left on two walks and two hits before he left Jonathan Lavallee walked in two after he left.

Rece Hinds hit a three-run to keep the game close at 9-7.

McLain had two hits and a walk. He is hitting .560 this spring.