The Reds called up pitching prospect Andrew Abbott from Triple-A Louisville on Sunday. He will make his major-league debut on the mound Monday, Cincinnati announced. Here’s what you need to know:
- The move comes after the Reds pushed back right-hander Hunter Greene’s next start while he deals with right hip stiffness.
- Greene was originally scheduled to start Monday against the Brewers, but the team moved his outing to next Sunday at home against the Cardinals. He will throw a bullpen session later this week.
- Through seven starts with Louisville this season, Abbott has a 3.05 ERA with 54 strikeouts through 38 1/3 innings pitched. He ranks No. 10 on The Athletic’s Keith Law’s list of top 20 Reds prospects for 2023.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
How is Greene’s hip?
Greene had been dealing with the hip issue for his last couple of starts, Reds manager David Bell said. Even with the right hip soreness, Greene allowed just two hits and a run in his last two starts combined, striking out 19 and walking five over 16 innings.
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“We got to a point where having a little bit more time seems like the right thing to do that could get him through it,” Bell said Sunday morning. “That’s the idea, to let him not feel that at all anymore. I’d say the last couple of starts, which have been really good starts for Hunter, he’s probably felt it the most. That’s encouraging, actually, that he was able to pitch as well as he was when he was feeling some pain. ” — Rosecrans
Can Abbott earn a rotation spot?
Abbott will make his debut Monday and the Reds will have a six-man rotation at least for one time through the rotation. Bell said it is not a spot start for Abbott, which could put pressure on rookie Brandon Williamson and Graham Ashcraft to pitch well enough to keep their spots in the rotation.
“Going to a six-man rotation, I guess it has its benefits, but it’s not something we want to do for a very long period of time because of what it does to our bullpen,” Bell said. “That’s going to have to change as soon as possible. Having seven relievers is not ideal. We’ll be able to do it. It really wasn’t made for that reason, it was based around Hunter and doing what was best for him.”
On Saturday, Ashcraft allowed 10 runs on nine hits and four walks in a loss to the Brewers. He allowed as many home runs as the number of batters he struck out in the start — two. Ashcraft started the season 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA in his first six starts of the season. He’s 1-4 with a 12.99 ERA in his last six starts.
Williamson struck out six and allowed just two earned runs in 6.2 innings in his start against Milwaukee on Friday. He has yet to record a decision in four starts. He has an ERA of 4.29 over that span and the Reds are 3-1 in games he’s started.
Abbott was technically on the taxi squad on Sunday and the team will make a roster move prior to Monday’s game, sending down a reliever to Triple-A Louisville. — Rosecrans
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Abbott scouting report
Abbott is a finesse lefty with a 55 slider and 55 changeup, offering some deception in the delivery and enough fastball at 91-94 mph, but he didn’t throw enough strikes in Double A after a promotion there last year — not even with the fastball, at about 63 percent.
He’s not the type of pitcher who can or should work out of the zone consistently, as he can miss enough bats in the zone or at the edges to succeed. He has fourth starter upside if he can get from 45 control to 55, with no real reason I see in the delivery to say he can’t do it. — Law
Backstory
Greene last pitched on June 1, striking out eight batters while allowing one earned run and two hits in six innings pitched in a loss to the Boston Red Sox. He’s compiled a 1-4 record and 3.92 ERA this season, which includes him striking out double-digit batters in back-to-back games in late May.
The Reds do not plan to put Greene on the injured list while he deals with his hip stiffness.
Required reading
(Photo: Sam Greene / USA Today)
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