With eye on '25, Lowder continues to make his case for a rotation spot

MINNEAPOLIS -- While it's a tad early to project the Reds' 2025 rotation, rookie Rhett Lowder is making a case that his name should be written in pen and laminated through four big league starts.

Until the bottom of the sixth inning, Lowder mostly cruised through his Sunday afternoon at Target Field. But the Twins scored three runs in their rally before handing the Reds a 9-2 loss that prevented a three-game sweep.

"It was a very impressive outing for a guy who was in college last year. I was certainly impressed," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said.

Lowder was charged with three earned runs and six hits over 5 1/3 innings with one walk and five strikeouts while throwing 77 pitches.

Over his four starts for Cincinnati, Lowder is 1-2 with a 1.74 ERA. He's given up four earned runs, 17 hits and nine walks with 17 strikeouts over 20 2/3 innings.

"To be able to step in, in his first time at the Major League level, and not only compete but really go out and give your team a chance to win every time against a good team -- he’s faced really good lineups," Reds manager David Bell said. "The exciting part is he’s doing well but just because of who he is and how he goes about it, he’s going to continue to learn and find ways to learn how to get better just with what he does. There’s a lot to like for sure."

None of the 22-year-old Lowder's starts have been against subpar clubs. Each opponent had a winning record, including first-place teams in the Brewers and Astros and Minnesota (which currently holds the third American League Wild Card spot), plus the Cardinals.

"It’s a good start to my career and just being thrown into the fire with some really good teams. I’m happy with it," Lowder said.

In the first inning, Lowder gave up a Royce Lewis one-out single and had no one reach safely again until Lewis hit a leadoff single in the fourth. Willi Castro lofted a two-out RBI single over third baseman Santiago Espinal, who was playing in.

"There is just something about him," Twins shortstop Brooks Lee said. "I don’t know, and I want to figure that out ASAP. He’s a tough at-bat. He’s got a good slider, good changeup and a lot of life on the fastball. Maybe the hair was in the way or something -- I could not pick up anything against him."

With one out in the sixth inning, Lowder gave up Carlos Santana's double to the gap in right-center field and then surrendered a four-pitch walk to Trevor Larnach.

"I felt fine. I felt like I had energy," Lowder said. "But I wasn’t quite as sharp that inning. Gave up a couple hard-hit balls, walked a guy. I’ve got to be sharper facing that lineup the third time through."

Bell turned the game over to reliever Tony Santillan, who struck out Castro for the second out.

Santillan was twice a strike away from ending the inning before Ryan Jeffers hit the game-tying RBI double to left field and Lee added a two-run single to right-center field.

“I’m very comfortable and confident with how we went about it. There’s nothing I feel like we should have done different," said Bell, when asked if he pulled Lowder one batter too late.

Lowder -- ranked by MLB Pipeline as Cincinnati's No. 2 prospect and No. 32 overall -- had 22 Minor League starts during his first pro season in 2024. He was the seventh overall pick in the 2023 Draft.

A big league promotion came after a slew of injuries to the rotation last month -- namely All-Star Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott and Nick Lodolo.

Looking ahead to next spring, Lowder will have a chance to seize a rotation spot behind those three.

There will likely be a cavalcade of others in the mix featuring Brandon Williamson, Graham Ashcraft and fellow prospect Julian Aguiar. Williamson (2.08 ERA) has pitched well in his three games since returning from a shoulder injury. Ashcraft struggled this season before suffering a season-ending right elbow strain in July. Aguiar, the No. 11 prospect in the organization, has also impressed at times during his six big league starts.

Further back are others like No. 8 prospect Chase Petty, who was just promoted to Triple-A Louisville, and even Connor Phillips, who had a rough year for Louisville and will be looking to bounce back.

"Getting this experience is huge," Lowder said. "It’s going to help me a lot, just in general, learning every inning … each game you learn something new. So I’m definitely grateful for getting this experience and getting some innings under my belt this year."