Nick Lodolo makes 2026 debut but Reds lose eighth straight

Nick Lodolo made his 2026 MLB debut for the Cincinnati Reds on May 8, but the team suffered its eighth consecutive loss, falling 10-0 to the Houston Astros. Manager Terry Francona praised Lodolo, citing him as one of the best pitchers in the game, and expected his return to bolster the Reds after weeks of preparing for the season without star pitcher Hunter Greene, who underwent surgery in March.

Lodolo, who previously logged a career-high 156 2/3 innings in 2025 with two complete games, faced challenges early in the season. He sustained a blister during spring training in Goodyear, Arizona, which led to his initial stint on the injured list. Although his rehabilitation efforts were hampered by a recurrence of the blister, he completed a successful rehab assignment at High-A Dayton and Triple-A Louisville in time for his debut.

In his debut game, Lodolo pitched 5 1/3 innings, throwing 78 pitches and allowing four runs — two of which came via home runs. Zach Dezenzo of the Astros hit a 95.3 mph sinker for a two-run homer in the second inning, putting Houston ahead, 2-0. Lodolo managed to work into the sixth inning, but Yordan Alvarez hit a 94.6 mph fastball for a 407-foot two-run homer, extending the Astros' lead to 4-0. Francona decided to pull Lodolo after Isaac Paredes doubled on a seventh-pitch at-bat, marking a total of five hits, a solitary walk, and two strikeouts for the Reds' pitcher.

Despite Lodolo's presence on the mound, the Reds continued their losing streak, which included a variety of challenging losses and had reached eight games. Cincinnati had entered their May 8 matchup with a seven-game losing streak, beginning with two losses against the Pittsburgh Pirates and transitioning to four consecutive one-run defeats. This pattern severely impacted the team's standing, dropping them to the cellar of the National League Central division at 20-19. The Reds were in striking distance of the American League West cellar-dwelling Astros, who improved to 16-23 with their win.

Houston's starting pitcher Mike Burrows dominated the Reds, allowing only three hits over seven innings, and the Cincinnati offense struggled significantly, finishing just 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position. In the ninth inning, after being down 5-0, the Astros increased their lead with back-to-back home runs, culminating in a pitching appearance from Reds catcher Jose Trevino for the final inning. With only five hits against the Astros, the Reds faced significant challenges ahead.