Cincinnati pitching coach Derek Johnson noted Friday that Lowder has improved his breaking ball since being promoted to Double-A Chattanooga, C. Trent Rosencrans of The Athletic reports.
In addition to the improved breaking ball, which Johnson described as a sweeper, Lowder is doing better against lefties. The breaking ball, in conjunction with the right-hander's changeup and two-seamer, helps in that area. Lowder initially struggled after his promotion, but he's shown improvement in the second half. Lowder, who threw seven innings of one-run ball in his previous start Wednesday, owns a 1.06 ERA and 0.79 WHIP over his last six starts.