Two early-season aces will square off when the Cincinnati Reds host the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday evening in the third game of a four-game series.
After the Reds won 8-1 Tuesday to snap the Phillies’ season-best, seven-game winning streak, Cincinnati left-hander Nick Lodolo (2-0, 0.75 ERA) will oppose Philadelphia right-hander Spencer Turnbull (2-0, 1.23).
Lodolo has returned to the Reds’ rotation in impressive fashion after missing the first two weeks of the season while recovering from a left calf injury. In two starts, the 26-year-old TCU product has allowed just eight hits and one run over 12 innings, striking out 16 and walking just one. He is 1-0 with a 2.22 ERA in four career starts vs. Philadelphia, having allowed six runs on 19 hits with eight walks and 31 strikeouts in 24 1/3 innings.
In his latest outing, Friday against the Los Angeles Angels, Lodolo yielded just one run on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. He fanned six and walked none while recording his first quality start since April 8, 2023, at Philadelphia.
The Phillies will counter on Wednesday with Turnbull, making his fifth start of the season. Turnbull has been one of the success stories of the dominant Philadelphia rotation early, allowing just four runs — three earned — on 10 hits over 22 innings. He has fanned 22 while walking seven.
Turnbull will make his fourth career start against Cincinnati and second this season. On April 2, Turnbull allowed one run, which was unearned, on three hits over five innings and got the win as the Phillies prevailed 9-4.
Turnbull’s time in the rotation could be coming to an end with the return of right-hander Taijuan Walker from a right shoulder injury. Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Walker would make his season debut Sunday at San Diego.
Elly De La Cruz keeps doing well for Cincinnati. The shortstop hit his team-leading seventh homer, a two-run shot off Yunior Marte in the fifth, to put the Reds up 7-1 on Tuesday. De La Cruz scored twice in the game and also contributed with two slick defensive plays. He started a double play in the sixth and ran more than 30 yards down the left-field line to make an over-the-shoulder sliding catch of a Johan Rojas fly ball.
“This guy just goes out and has fun playing the game,” Reds second baseman Santiago Espinal said. “That’s what he is. That’s the way he plays the game. I hope he knows the talent he has.”
Espinal also contributed Tuesday with a three-hit game, including his first homer in a Cincinnati uniform in the eighth. Reds outfielder Will Benson snapped a career-worst 0-for-18 drought with a fifth-inning single.
The Reds and Phillies have alternated wins in their five games this season, with Cincinnati leading the season series 3-2.
Philadelphia first baseman Bryce Harper is expected to miss his third game Wednesday due to paternity leave that began Monday. The Phillies hope to have him back for the Thursday series finale in Cincinnati before Philadelphia heads to San Diego.
