The Cincinnati Reds aren’t facing a crisis just yet, but it won’t be long before they have to confront some difficult choices about their starting rotation.
The pitching staff boasts a lot of promising talent, including Nick Lodolo, Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, and Chase Burns. Eventually, though, the Reds’ front office will have to determine which pitchers to retain and which to part ways with.
Despite Greene’s All-Star performance last season and Lodolo’s strong showing in 2025, the wiser strategy for Cincinnati could be to prioritize building around Burns and Abbott for the future.
Chase Burns is putting pressure on Reds front office to rethink their rotation plans
Hunter Greene’s ongoing durability issues remain a major concern throughout his Major League career. While he’s on a very team-friendly contract, the Reds can’t continue relying on him as the ace if he can’t stay healthy.
Greene struggled with injuries in both 2022 and 2023, and even after his All-Star season in 2024, he landed on the injured list due to right elbow soreness. This year, he’s currently sidelined again with a groin injury. With Greene hitting the injured list every season, the Reds need to be cautious about counting on him in their long-term rotation plans.
Nick Lodolo has been electric this season, but he’s arbitration-eligible in 2026 and will become a free agent after the 2027 season. Given the abundance of young pitchers in the Reds’ system, his long-term future with the team could be uncertain. Still, after his breakout year, Reds fans would surely want to keep him around.
Andrew Abbott, meanwhile, isn’t eligible for arbitration until 2027 and won’t reach free agency until after 2029. Cincinnati should prioritize locking up their All-Star starter with a contract extension during the offseason.
Chase Burns has impressed in his first five starts, including two games with double-digit strikeouts, proving he can compete against top teams. There’s no need to rush the pressure on Burns as the future ace just yet, but if the Reds view him as the cornerstone of their rotation, offering him a team-friendly extension like they did with Greene could be a smart move.
At one point, the future of the Reds’ starting rotation seemed to rest with Greene, Lodolo, and Graham Ashcraft. Now, that mantle appears to have shifted to Abbott, Burns, and their promising prospect Rhett Lowder.
