Lowder continues dominant spring in second start
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GOODYEAR, Ariz. – Wednesday may have started with bad news for the Reds, but it ended with a reminder of just how deep the pitching staff goes.
Rhett Lowder (Cincinnati's No. 4 prospect, No. 86 overall) set the tone early in an international exhibition game against Team Cuba, continuing his stellar spring by tossing three scoreless innings in a 19-2 win in the eight-inning contest. Though it was already clear that the 23-year-old has a strong chance to earn a spot as Cincinnati’s fifth starter, his masterful performance against Cuba was a welcome sight on a day that began with startling news about ace Hunter Greene’s right elbow.
The kids, though, can play.
Lowder struck out three, allowed two hits and did not issue any walks. His effectiveness stymied Cuba, which never put a runner in scoring position while he was on the mound.
Statistics from Wednesday’s exhibition game – Cuba’s last before it kicks off pool play at the 2026 World Baseball Classic – do not count toward overall 2026 Spring Training stats. If they did, the right-hander’s new stat line would jump off the page, because he has now gone 21 straight outs without allowing a run. Lowder induced 22 swings on 29 strikes against Cuba, notching a 45 percent whiff rate in the process.
He threw 43 pitches, mixing up his four-seamer, sinker, changeup and slider effectively, with his sinker and slider making up 63 percent of his pitches.
Still, he said there’s plenty more he’ll work on before his next start.
“I think there's a couple two-strike pitches I could execute a little bit better, but it ended up not hurting me,” Lowder said. “It's fun, I feel like everything's going well, and I'm getting stronger each week.”
Lowder continues to make a strong case to crack the starting rotation despite not appearing in a Major League game last season after he suffered a season-ending left oblique strain during a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville in May 2025.
He made his MLB debut in 2024 and last appeared in the Majors on Sept. 28, 2024. He finished that season 2-2 with a 1.17 ERA in six starts, notching 22 strikeouts while posting a 1.27 WHIP.
The only two Cuban baserunners to reach against Lowder on Wednesday were both subsequently caught stealing. That group included his Reds teammate Alexander Vargas, who is one of seven Cincinnati players to suit up for their home country in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Vargas singled against Lowder in the third, and finished the day 1-for-2.
“I didn't know who was up. Honestly, I did not,” Lowder said with a smile. “I kind of just went with my righty-lefty playing whoever was in the box.”
Manager Terry Francona has praised the young pitcher’s veteran-like demeanor.
“We're going to be the ones that probably get to tip our hat and talk about him, but the player development people, and the scouts, they did a really good job getting him,” Francona said after the win. “He's beyond his years.”
Beyond his years, sure. But he’s still out there having the time of his life, and that may translate to some much-needed stability on the mound for the Reds.
“I'm getting stronger each week, and it's just fun to be on a routine and just focus on getting guys out,” Lowder said. “It's obviously why I play this game, so it's the best.”