CINCINNATI -- In terms of the health of his problematic left index finger and trying a grip change with how he throws his best pitch, Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo came away feeling positive after facing hitters in live batting practice on Friday.
Lodolo threw 50 pitches over three simulated innings to teammates TJ Friedl, Jose Trevino and Ivan Johnson. He used his fastball, changeup and also continued testing with his breaking ball.
“Good. Definitely a win for the day. I don’t know what’s next. I would assume, hopefully, a rehab [assignment], but we’ll figure that out," Lodolo said after the session at Great American Ball Park.
Lodolo, 28, went on the injured list for the second time this season July 12 because of a blister on his left index finger. The issue stems from the friction caused by throwing his elite breaking ball.
Since he resumed throwing -- both on flat ground and in the bullpen sessions -- Lodolo has experimented with a new breaking ball grip. It went well against the hitters.
"Just swing feedback -- obviously, it’s not in the game -- but so far, I liked it," Lodolo said. “Actually, I threw a lot of them for strikes. I was happy about that. But live BP is live BP versus a game.”
How big of an adjustment is it for a Major League pitcher to make a grip adjustment to a pitch in the middle of a season?
“If you would ask me that a week ago, I would have told you it was huge," he said. "I feel a lot better with it now that I’ve kept throwing it and stuff like that. It’s not like earth-shattering different. There’s definitely a small tweak there. Hopefully, it sets me up to be better."
But lots of hurdles remain for the grip and the breaking ball on Lodolo's path back to the active roster.
"Just being comfortable is the No. 1 thing," said Lodolo, who is 3-2 with a 4.60 ERA in 12 starts this season. "Can you throw it for a strike, first off? Can the ball spin out of your hand correctly? It’s got to sit comfortable in your hand to have a chance. You’re not going to go out there and rip something that doesn’t feel good.”
Making changes like Lodolo is attempting isn't uncommon in baseball.
"Guys tweak stuff all the time. This maybe is a little bigger for Nick because he never has," manager Terry Francona said. "It’s one thing to throw it on flat ground out in right field. It’s another thing where you’re facing Major League hitters. We just want to be cognizant of that also.”
If Lodolo were to follow Friday's outing with a rehab assignment, it's not yet known where he would go or how many starts he might need before being activated.
There is a Trade Deadline factor in play as well. If the Reds deal away starting pitchers Brady Singer or Hunter Greene, they will need a starter to fill the spots. With Triple-A Louisville starter Jose Franco on the IL with a right flexor mass strain, the club lacks many options. Lodolo will be needed at some point to take his spot back in the rotation.