With Lodolo (blister) headed to IL, opportunity for Burns, Lowder

MILWAUKEE -- Chase Burns and Rhett Lowder, two young starting pitchers who already were expected to have key roles in the Reds' early-season rotation, got some much-needed work in the second of a pair of exhibition games against the Brewers at American Family Field.

Burns and Lowder are expected to take on even more prominent roles in the rotation. Reds manager Terry Francona announced Tuesday that Nick Lodolo, who was scheduled to start on Saturday in the second game of the season-opening series against the Red Sox, will be heading to the injured list with a blister on his pitching hand.

“He threw today before the game and we wanted to be respectful to him and the process and talk to the trainers,” Francona said. “There’s a little bit of concern right now with the breaking ball. If we tried to reach for something that we shouldn’t and he throws an inning or two and then we turn it into a month. If he misses just a couple starts, that’s a heck of a lot better.”

Lodolo exited his final Cactus League start on Sunday after 10 pitches due to a blister on his left index finger. He’s dealt with a blister on the same finger each of the past two seasons.

“It sucks, but it’s something that could work in our favor in the long run,” Lodolo said. “Hopefully, next week I’ll be able to throw a (simulation) game or throw in a rehab start and continue to build up and be able to test it.”

Lodolo said he doesn’t believe the blister is as serious as the one that kept him out about three weeks last season.

And, with being sidelined, having depth in the rotation with Burns and Lowder is crucial, he said.

“It makes me feel little bit better,” Lodolo said. “I’m confident in those guys to go out and get after it.”

Lodolo will join another starter, Hunter Greene, on the IL. Greene had arthroscopic surgery on his pitching elbow on March 11 and was placed on the 60-day IL on Monday.

The Reds had devised a plan to open the season with six starting pitchers, with a short-term “six-for-five” strategy. Burns, Lowder and Brandon Williamson, another young hurler who missed all of last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, are part of a hybrid approach.

Burns, Lowder and Williamson hadn’t initially been scheduled to pitch in the opening series against the Red Sox, with two of the three set to likely get starts in the subsequent three-game series against the Pirates. The other would be working in relief.

Andrew Abbott will start on opening day on Thursday against Boston, as originally planned. Brady Singer will now pitch Game 2, followed by Lowder. Burns and Williamson will start the next two games against the Pirates.

Burns got the start on Tuesday against the Brewers, his sixth of the spring. Francona said he had hoped to get 75 pitches out of the 23-year-old right-hander. Burns ended up turning in a highly efficient five-inning stint in which he threw 68 pitches (53 strikes).

He struck out the side in the first with a four-seam fastball, slider and sinker combination.

“I was excited that he pounded the strike zone with really good stuff,” Francona said.

Burns gave up four hits, including a home run to red-hot Jake Bauers, and two runs to the Brewers. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter before giving way to Lowder to start the sixth.

“It felt great. I was just trying to fill up the zone and limit the walks and get ahead and just attack,” Burns said.

Lowder, 24, made his fifth appearance of the spring. He gave up four hits and two runs (one earned) in three innings. He struck out three and didn’t issue a walk across 50 pitches (36 strikes).

“This was a good finish,” Lowder said. “I’m ready to go from here.”

Burns and Lowder applauded the move to have a pair of rare exhibition games in a Major League park prior to the season opener.

“It was cool. It felt like back to normal,” Lowder said. “It’s good to get out of Arizona. It was fun.”