"Generic Chris Sale" - Ex-MLB slugger Ryan Spilborghs delivers bold compliment for Reds’ $1,975,000 star

Atlanta Braves Pitcher Chris Sale & Cincinnati Reds Pitcher Nick Lodolo

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Nick Lodolo has been locked in this season. After agreeing to a $1,975,000 contract through arbitration, he has been a tough at-bat for opposing hitters.

He has made three starts this year, compiling a 2-1 record with a 0.96 ERA and eight strikeouts on 18.2 innings of work. His last start came Tuesday, when he pitched a gem against the San Francisco Giants.

Former Colorado Rockies slugger Ryan Spilborghs has taken notice. On MLB Network Radio, he backed Lodolo and his new arm angle that seems to be working well.

"His arm angle has dropped. It's gone from 19 to 15 degrees and by doing that, he creates a pretty steep angle for a hitter to pick up," said Spilborghs.

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The lefty has a similar arm slot to Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale, who is coming off an NL Cy Young Award win in 2024.

"All these numbers in [Baseball] Savant are doing well. He's getting a ton of chase, walk rate is still good for him. So, I don't know, a generic Chris Sale with the Reds in the pitching staff could be a problem," he added.

If Lodolo can continue to go out there and make it tough for opposing batters, people will want to start paying attention to the Reds.

Reds pitcher Nick Lodolo's new arm angle has been a problem for opposing batters

Cincinnati Reds - Nick Lodolo (Photo via IMAGN)

Out of high school, Nick Lodolo was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the 41st pick in the 2016 MLB draft. However, he decided to go to college and committed to Texas Christian University.

He was considered a top prospect when it came time for the 2019 MLB draft. He was selected by the Reds with the seventh pick and made his MLB debut in 2022.

This past season, he has dropped his arm angle by four degrees. While this does not seem like much, it has nearly made him a completely new pitcher, especially with his changeup.

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The new angle results in more vertical drop on the pitch, making it harder for batters to barrel up. He is also able to get more armside run on his sinker, which has made him successful early this season.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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Edited by Jared "Bloomy" Bloom