The Cincinnati Reds have a strong pitching rotation. Hunter Greene will lead the way, while Brady Singer is an experienced veteran. Another pitcher may be poised for a true breakout 2026 season, however. Nick Lodolo will be a starter to closely watch throughout the upcoming campaign.

One may argue that Lodolo already had his breakout year in 2025, when he pitched to a 3.33 ERA across 29 starts. There is reason to believe that Lodolo can be even better in 2026, though.

Lodolo, 27, does not throw especially hard. He ranked in the 41st percentile for fastball velocity in 2025. He features some of the best breaking stuff in the sport, though. Lodolo ranked in the 94th percentile in offspeed run value and 91st percentile in chase percentage.

He has also become a southpaw who limits walks. His 2025 4.8 walk percentage was not only a career-best, but it placed him in the 95th percentile overall. Being a top-tier pitcher at getting hitters to swing at pitches out of the zone while also limiting walks is a challenge, but Lodolo has figured it out.

Despite not throwing especially hard, Lodolo still gets swings and misses. He ranked in the 68th percentile in whiff percentage and 62nd percentile in strikeout percentage a season ago. Much of that stems from his offspeed pitches, but Lodolo still uses his fastball to set up the breaking stuff.

In 2025, threw his curveball 28.7 percent of the time. Meanwhile, Lodolo's fastball was thrown at a 27.8 percent rate. He also mixes in a sinker (21.8 percent) and changeup (21.7 percent).

If Lodolo can work in a few more strikeouts, he will take a step forward in 2026. His 24.3 percent strikeout rate was surprisingly the lowest mark of his career last year despite a strong overall season. His career-high mark is 29.7 percent, so Lodolo is certainly capable of recording more strikeouts.

The stuff plays at the big league level. He is crafty enough to work around not throwing an elite fastball. His four-pitch mix is quite reliable.

In today's game, Lodolo offers a somewhat old-school approach on the mound. While many guys rely on throwing as hard as they possibly can while hoping for the best, Lodolo uses movement and location to find results.

The southpaw may be on the verge of his best season yet in 2026 with the Reds.