With just one week until Opening Day against the San Francisco Giants, the Cincinnati Reds are working to get the roster down to 26. With the optioning of Lyon Richardson to AAA Lousiville, the Major League camp sits at 37. Another move that is to come is placing starting pitcher Andrew Abbott on IL.
Currently, Brandon Williamson and Julian Aguiar are on the 60-day IL and both will miss the entire 2025 season. Tyler Stephenson will begin the season on the 10-day IL and will likely officially be announced at the same time as Abbott. With the designation, Carson Spiers won the competition for the fifth starter in the rotation.
Since making his debut on June 5, 2023, Abbott has been great for the Reds. In that time, he’s made 46 starts and boasts a 3.78 ERA and 1.306 WHIP with 234 strikeouts. In his first season, Abbott actually led all starting pitchers with at least 20 starts with a 120 ERA+. Last year, it was more of the same with 118 ERA+, second only to Hunter Greene among pitchers with at least 17 starts.
In that first season, he made nine starts of at least six innings and had five scoreless outings. Last year, he went six innings 10 times and had three scoreless outings (and six one-run starts).
Aug 12, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Andrew Abbott (41) walks off the field during a pitching change in the seventh inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
Katie Stratman-
If there is an area that the Reds can afford to lose a player, it’s the rotation. Greene, Nick Lodolo, Nick Martinez, Brady Singer, and Carson Spiers should be able to hold it down with Rhett Lowder right there to jump in when called upon. Either way, when Abbott returns, he will be one of the better starters in the rotation and will be a crucial piece.
