Why Chase Petty's start in Reds loss big for Reds, bigger for him

Petty, who handed off a 3-3 game to the bullpen (in a 5-4 loss), retired 17 of the 20 other batters he faced.

The performance was big for the Reds in helping keep a recently taxed bullpen fresher for the rest of a big road series and also in helping bridge a gap until Reds return frontline starter Nick Lodolo (blister) from the injured list Friday at home.

Lodolo rejoined the team after his 79-pitch minor-league rehab start for Triple-A Louisville on Sunday and pronounced himself ready and eager to make his season debut and put his chronic blister issue behind him for the rest of the season.

“I’m really excited. I’ve just been kind of sitting here, trying to truck along slowly,” said Lodolo, who suffered a setback early in his rehab process after suffering the blister in his final spring start. “I’m just excited to get back out there and compete and just be a part of it with the boys.”

Lodolo’s return is expected to mean a return trip to Louisville for Petty, a roster move that might sync with the anticipated return this week of reliever Pierce Johnson from the bereavement list just ahead of Lodolo’s activation.

But Petty would depart leaving a fresh impression of what he might be able to do to help a Reds team hunting for a second straight playoff appearance – an impression of the Reds’ big-league rotation depth that suddenly looks like it might run eight deep.

And it’s a fresh dose of confidence he takes back to Louisville after weathering a rain delay and $780 million worth of veteran hitting in the Cubs’ lineup sprinkling a newly refined changeup against his upper-90s fastball.

And doing it in the fishbowl of Wrigley Field – “a dream ballpark” – in front of 33,000 wet and hostile fans?

Talk about confidence.

“Hundred percent,” he said. “Against a lineup like that. One of the best lineups in the league, possibly the best. So now it’s just going out there in my next bullpen and working on what I need to work on.”

Until his next chance to redefine himself.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Petty looked good in loss vs. Cubs