ALBEMARLE — Former North Stanly pitcher Rhett Lowder is making an early impression on the mound for the Cincinnati Reds, delivering one of the most dominant starts to a career in both franchise and league history.
On Saturday night, the 24-year-old Albemarle native, who still qualifies as a rookie this season, made his second start of the 2026 campaign and the eighth of his major league career.
The right-hander allowed three hits over six scoreless innings on 82 pitches as the Reds defeated the Texas Rangers 2-0, earning his first win since 2024 after missing the entire 2025 season with a right forearm strain and left oblique strain.
After surrendering back-to-back singles with two outs in the first inning, he settled in and did not allow another Rangers baserunner to reach second base; Lowder struck out four and issued two leadoff walks.
“Honestly, it was a grind,” Lowder said after the win. “I feel like I never got into a rhythm. It was fun and I’m happy with it for sure, but it wasn’t easy.”
Through his first eight major league starts, Lowder has posted a 1.30 ERA — the lowest mark by a Reds pitcher at that stage since 1913. The consistency and command displayed by the young right-hander have quickly positioned him as a key piece of Cincinnati’s rotation.
His performance also stands out on a broader historical scale. His career ERA ranks as the fifth-lowest by any Major League Baseball pitcher through their first eight starts since 1961.
In addition to limiting runs, Lowder has proven difficult to score against altogether. He has recorded five scoreless starts of at least five innings, tied for the most such outings by any pitcher through their first eight career starts since 1900. Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela is the only other player to match that total over that span.
“Oh really? No, I didn’t know that — that’s pretty cool,” Lowder said when informed of the milestone. “I just want to keep going and keep winning.”
Saturday’s outing marked an improvement from his first start of the season on March 29 against Boston, when he allowed two runs on three hits with two walks and five strikeouts over five innings on 86 pitches.
The seventh overall pick out of Wake Forest in the 2023 MLB Draft made his big league debut late in the 2024 season, going 2-2 with a 1.17 ERA in six starts.
Lowder is scheduled to make his next start Thursday afternoon on the road against the Miami Marlins.