CHICAGO — The Cincinnati Reds’ road trip from hell took a turn for the worse in the fourth inning of the final game of the trip, when starting pitcher Rhett Lowder exited the game with a shoulder injury.
The severity of the injury was not immediately clear. But after Lowder walked the first two Chicago Cubs batters of the inning Thursday, then threw one pitch to Michael Busch, at which point catcher Tyler Stephenson headed to the mound, followed closely by the trainer and manager.
Lowder then exited the game with what the Reds later called “shoulder discomfort.”
Making matters worse yet for the suddenly hard-luck Reds, reliever Connor Phillips recent struggles reared in an ugly way after he replaced Lowder, and the Cubs went on to record a seven-run inning.
Lowder, who appears headed to the injured list, already was coming off the worst start of a 14-start career, lasting just 1 1/3 innings in Pittsburgh five days earlier.
The Reds already have three starting pitchers on the IL, including ace Hunter Greene (elbow surgery for bone chips), who was expected to miss more than half the season.
No. 2 starter Nick Lodolo (blister) is due off the IL to make Friday’s series-opening start at home against Houston.
Left-hander Brandon Williamson (shoulder fatigue) is on the 60-day IL.
Lowder missed all of last season recovering from a pair of injuries.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds lose another pitcher to injury as Rhett Lowder exits start
Reporting by Gordon Wittenmyer, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
