Doolittle gave up the go-ahead hit Saturday and a game-tying hit Sunday against the Cubs' Nico Hoerner, and overall, right-handers are 8-for-21 with three doubles, a homer and an 1.148 OPS against him, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

EDGE Analysis

If Doolittle is going to be a factor in the Reds' closer mix, he needs to get right-handers out more consistently. He's also allowed seven of nine inherited runners to score this season. There's a big opportunity for some reliever on the Reds to step into the vacant job, but Doolittle cost himself some equity in that battle this weekend.

Doolittle did not allow a baserunner and struck out one to throw a scoreless ninth inning and earn the save Tuesday against the Dodgers.

EDGE Analysis

Doolittle was called upon to protect a one-run lead in the ninth inning, and he easily retired Corey Seager, Justin Turner and Max Muncy in order. The save was Doolittle's first since 2019 when he was a member of the Nationals. It's not clear whether he's now part of the regular closer mix for the Reds as Tejay Antone, Amir Garrett and Lucas Sims had all pitched the night before. With Garrett and Sims both struggling though, there could be late-inning opportunities for other relief arms like Doolittle.

Doolittle earned the win Monday night against the Pirates after throwing a clean seventh inning, striking out two of the three batters he faced.

EDGE Analysis

Doolittle threw 11 of his 13 pitches for strikes while hitting 96 mph with his fastball on multiple pitches. Last season his average fastball was only 90.7 mph, losing nearly 3.0 mph from 2019. If he can maintain that velocity, he can be a huge asset in the Reds' bullpen, which collectively threw four shutout innings Monday night.

Doolittle could earn some saves this season, but he's behind Amir Garrett and Lucas Sims to start the year, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Doolittle has 111 saves on his resume, but he's posted a mediocre 4.26 ERA over the last two seasons. The 34-year-old has done nothing to suggest he's about to turn things around this spring, giving up 11 runs in 7.1 innings while striking out six and walking seven.

Doolittle gave up three more runs in an inning Tuesday night, allowing five of the first six batters to reach on three hits and two walks, bumping his spring training ERA to 29.73, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports. His velocity was around 93-94 mph, occasionally touching 96 mph.

EDGE Analysis

Doolittle is nominally competing for the Reds' closer job, and could have gotten a leg up due to Amir Garrett and Lucas Sims not pitching in games yet, but the results have been so poor that it's hard to imagine him protecting a ninth-inning lead right now.

Doolittle allowed a leadoff walk and a subsequent double Saturday against the A's but rallied to get two strikeouts and a sacrifice fly. He had given up four homers in his first two outings.

EDGE Analysis

With Amir Garrett and Lucas Sims both sidelined so far, Doolittle had a chance to get a head start on winning the closer's job, but his poor outings haven't made him an appealing option.

Doolittle gave up three runs in his spring training debut Sunday against the Giants, allowing two homers, but also had increased velocity over last season and had some success working in his new breaking ball, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

EDGE Analysis

Doolittle acknowledged that the breaking ball is still a work in progress. "I have to keep throwing it so I can develop that trust with it," Doolittle said. "I was kicking myself. I was mad, not because I hung it (to Ramos), I defined it wrong in my head. I said I'm just going to throw this for a strike. I have to be aggressive with it. I have to rip it. I didn't and I got burned. It's a good lesson." Doolittle so far isn't close to winning the Reds' closer job, even with Lucas Sims still not pitching in games.

Doolittle developed a new pitch over the offseason, a breaking ball that he considers to be closer to a curveball than a slider, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Doolittle has leaned very heavily on his fastball throughout his career, throwing the pitch 87.9 percent of the time. His only commonly-used out pitches over the last several seasons have been a slider and a changeup. The formerly dominant closer has recorded a mediocre 4.26 ERA over the past two seasons, but a new pitch could be what he needs to stake his claim for the ninth-inning role in Cincinnati.

Doolittle (oblique) signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Reds on Tuesday, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.

EDGE Analysis

Doolittle battled knee and oblique issues last season, finishing the year with a 5.87 ERA and 1.70 WHIP in just 7.2 innings of work. That follows a disappointing 2019 season which saw him post an ERA above 4.00 for the first time in his career. Assuming the injuries are behind him, he could be a useful part of the Reds' bullpen this season and could even close games, as he recorded an excellent 2.83 ERA from 2012 to 2018 and has earned 111 career saves. At age 34, however, another step backward may be more likely than a rebound.

Doolittle was diagnosed with an oblique strain and placed on the 10-day injured list Friday, Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Doolittle doesn't have a precise timeline for his return, but with just 16 days left in the regular season, his chances of returning before the end of the campaign appear slim. The former closer didn't record a single save this season and struggled to a 5.87 ERA and a 1.70 WHIP in 7.2 innings of work.