Nick Ludulu had a setback coming back from injury

Anaheim — The Reds were counting on the healthy returns of Hunter Green and Nick Ludolo for a late season playoff game, but the development could derail that hope.

Ludolu, who has been out since mid-May with a stress reaction in his left leg, suffered a setback during his last rehab start with Triple-A Louisville on Sunday.

“He had dealt with that all that time and then he felt something there again and it showed something on the MRI,” Reds manager David Bell said on Tuesday.

Lodolo got his start against Iowa with two scoreless innings before starting to struggle in the third. He allowed two hits and three walks, which resulted in a pair of runs, and was lifted from the game.

Bale said: “I think it kind of happened in the third inning of the game he was in. He’s getting a second opinion now but the MRI showed a stress reaction so it’s just a repeat. It’s obviously worrying news, but I don’t have Anything beyond that.

Lodolo was scheduled to play five rounds in another rehab start before possible activation from the injured list on August 30. This now seems highly unlikely.

In seven starts this season for the Reds, the 25-year-old has gone 2-1 with a 6.29 ERA. He was 2-0 with a 2.12 ERA in his first three starts, and 0-1 with a 10.38 ERA over his last four games.

Lodolo’s setback came after the disastrous Sunday comeback of Greene, who allowed nine runs (eight earned) and 10 hits over three innings against the Blue Jays. He set a career high and a club record by giving up five home runs in the 10-3 loss.

Cincinnati entered the Tuesday rotation ranked 28th (5.38). The club have limited options to fill the starting five for the final month of the season in the event Lodolo is unable to return.

Ben Lively, on rehabilitation assignment with Louisville, has been in IL with a right pectoral strain — his second appearance of the injury — since August 2. He is slated to throw 85 pitches in another rehab start and could be. Available to Reds in the first week of September.

Brett Kennedy pitched five scoreless innings in his previous start, against Toronto on August 18. Rookie Leon Richardson, who is on the cab squad, may not be as much of a potential as he is within the innings.