The Reds activated southpaw Andrew Abbott from the injured listing earlier in the present day, as famous by Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Abbott shall be beginning tonight’s sport towards the Pirates. Outfielder Will Benson was optioned to Triple-A within the corresponding transfer.
Abbott, 26 in June, emerged as an everyday rotation possibility for the Reds when he was a rookie again in 2023. He posted a powerful 3.87 ERA (120 ERA+) in 21 begins that yr whereas putting 26.1% of his opponents, however his sophomore marketing campaign noticed him take one thing of a step backwards. Whereas the southpaw’s 3.72 ERA and 118 ERA+ have been largely unchanged from his rookie marketing campaign, his peripheral numbers suffered as he posted a nicely below-average 5.02 FIP throughout 25 begins. A lot of that may be attributed to his lackluster 19.5% strikeout charge in his follow-up season, although a large improve in his dwelling run charge additionally performed a task.
The lefty largely seemed good throughout Spring Coaching, with a 2.57 ERA and 5 strikeouts towards only one stroll in seven innings of labor throughout two outings. These types of numbers would usually put Abbott in a very good place to enhance upon his work in 2025 this yr, however a sluggish construct as much as the season after final yr was minimize brief by a shoulder pressure meant that he really began out on the injured listing reasonably than breaking camp with the membership. Fortuitously, it proved to be a comparatively temporary IL stint as he completed build up with the Reds’ Triple-A affiliate in Louisville with a 3.60 ERA in two begins.
With Abbott now again within the majors, he’ll be tasked with sliding into the again of the Cincinnati rotation alongside Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Nick Martinez, and Brady Singer. It’s a powerful group that the Reds determine to lean on closely this yr as they give the impression of being to struggle their approach again into the postseason for the primary time since 2020, although the eventual return of teenager Rhett Lowder from the injured listing may push somebody out of the combination. Abbott may very well be a candidate to maneuver out of the rotation relying on his efficiency, although maybe probably the most good selection can be Martinez given his previous expertise (and success) in a bullpen position.
Transferring off the roster to make room for Abbott is Benson, who appeared in only one sport after being referred to as up from the minors earlier this week. That lone look left a lot to be desired, as Benson struck out 4 instances in 4 journeys to the plate, however that he’s been within the minors in any respect this yr whereas the Reds depend on gamers like Blake Dunn and Jacob Hurtubise to fill in whereas Austin Hays is on the injured listing is telling of how far his inventory has fallen within the group’s eyes. It wasn’t way back, in spite of everything, that Benson was one of many staff’s greatest hitters with a .275/.365/.498 slash line again in 2023.
A lackluster 2024 season that noticed him strikeout out in 39.7% of his plate appearances with a subpar 75 wRC+ was sufficient to push him out of the membership’s roster plans for this yr regardless of that spectacular historical past, and whereas he’s raked in 9 video games at Triple-A this season it appears he’ll want to indicate extra enchancment to get a considerable alternative within the majors this yr. Within the meantime, Gavin Lux has joined Dunn, Hurtubise, and Jake Fraley within the nook outfield combine whereas Hays is out of fee, whereas TJ Friedl stays the membership’s on a regular basis heart fielder.
