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2026 Fantasy Baseball Player Profile

Nick Lodolo’s 2025 season was a triumphant "graduation" from his injury-riddled past, as the 6-foot-6 southpaw finally paired his elite pedigree with sustained health. After making only 28 combined starts across 2023 and 2024, Lodolo set career highs across the board, finishing with a 3.33 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 156 strikeouts in 156.2 innings. While his strikeout rate (9.0 K/9) didn't quite reach the dizzying heights of his rookie year, he offset it with elite precision, posting a 1.8 BB/9 (95th percentile) that ranked fourth among all MLB starters with at least 150 innings. He also emerged as a "big-game" workhorse, tying for the MLB lead with two complete games, including his first career shutout.

The 2026 season is being approached with a "safety-first" mindset by both Lodolo and the Reds. In early January, he avoided arbitration by signing a one-year, $4.725 million contract (plus performance incentives). The most significant story of his spring was his decision regarding the 2026 World Baseball Classic. While Lodolo was approached by Team USA and initially expressed a "yearning" to represent his country, he ultimately turned down the opportunity after a heart-to-heart with manager Terry Francona. "Tito" reportedly told Lodolo he wanted him to be "wealthy as hell" and feared the early-season ramp-up might lead to a recurrence of the blisters or leg issues that hampered him in years past. Instead, Lodolo remains in Goodyear, where he has looked sharp in early bullpens, consistently sitting at 95-96 mph with his signature "sweeping" slider.

For fantasy managers, Lodolo is a high-end SP3 with an ADP around 112.