Rhett Lowder exits early with shoulder injury in rough Cubs loss
Rhett Lowder’s start against the Chicago Cubs ended early due to injury. The right-hander left the game in the fourth inning with shoulder discomfort. Before exiting, he struggled with control and gave up a home run in a tough outing. Lowder entered the game holding a 3-2 record and a 5.09 ERA across six starts this season. His performance on the day, however, quickly turned shaky. In the second inning, Michael Conforto hit a solo home run off him—the second Lowder has allowed in 13 career starts.
By the time he left, Lowder had pitched three innings, surrendering three earned runs on one hit and four walks while striking out just one batter. He threw 59 pitches before departing with the Cubs already leading 1-0. The game then unravelled for his team in the fourth, as Chicago exploded for seven runs—their highest-scoring inning of the season—extending their lead to 8-0. The early exit adds to concerns about Lowder’s health and consistency. His shoulder issue will likely require further evaluation, while the Cubs’ offensive surge sealed a lopsided result. The team now faces questions about his availability for upcoming games.
