Andrew Abbott is among the many young players on the Cincinnati Reds entering their second season in 2024, and he kicked off the season with a strong performance. Last season, Abbott made his debut in early July and emerged as one of the Reds’ top starters for a few months. However, his season ended on a downward trend, with most of his late-season struggles attributed to fatigue.
Despite this, there are high expectations for Abbott in 2024. During spring training, his spot in the Opening Day rotation was uncertain, especially with the additions of Nick Martinez and Frankie Montas. Abbott found himself competing for a position among the starting five, but his spring training statistics weren’t particularly impressive. Nevertheless, given Brandon Williamson’s placement on the injured list at the start of the year, Abbott secured a spot in the rotation.
Andrew Abbott impresses in his first appearance of the season.
In his 2024 season opener, Andrew Abbott faced the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Monday night. Riding the momentum of a walk-off win the previous day, the Reds entered the game with high spirits. Abbott started the game with the score still tied. However, a leadoff single followed by a walk allowed the Phillies to set up their offense early on. Eventually, both runners advanced into scoring position, and they both crossed the plate on a weak hit by Alec Bohm later in the inning.
After securing the third out of the inning, Abbott found his rhythm for the remainder of his time on the mound. He concluded with a solid performance, pitching 5 1/3 innings, allowing only three hits and two walks, resulting in just two runs. Additionally, Abbott struck out four Phillies hitters during the game. Among these strikeouts, two were from his changeup, while one each came from his fastball and curveball.
Securing his position in the starting rotation.
Andrew Abbott has the potential to play a significant role in the Cincinnati Reds’ rotation for the 2024 season. The key for him will be to minimize walks and maintain a low pitch count. Facing a challenging Phillies lineup in his first outing, Abbott impressively worked into the sixth inning while throwing just 90 pitches. Among Reds starters, only Frankie Montas has reached the sixth inning in the first four games besides Abbott. It’s reasonable to anticipate Abbott will deliver consistent performances throughout the season, given his demonstrated ability to do so.
