Cincinnati Reds Left-Hander Reportedly Behind Schedule Because of Shoulder Injury

Andrew Abbott is battling for a rotation spot in Cincinnati, but right now, he's battling continued shoulder issues.

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott (41) throws the ball against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fifth inning at Tropicana Field in 2024. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Cincinnati Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott is reportedly behind schedule in spring training as he continues to recover from a shoulder injury that ended his 2024 season in August.

Per MLB.com:

“We’re not that far off," Abbott told MLB.com. "Normal offseason, a few hiccups every now and then. I was in contact with them. I told them coming in that it was probably smart to go slower to make sure that we take care of the problem before it becomes an actual problem. They agreed. They’re building it out to what we both believe will be beneficial for us and the team.”

There's no word at this point if Abbott will be ready for Opening Day, but he's certainly in the mix for the Opening Day rotation. The Reds figure to have Nick Martinez, Hunter Greene and Brady Singer as sure things, with Abbott, Nick Lodolo and Rhett Lowder serving as other options for the final two spots. Lowder is also being slowed in camp by an elbow issue, however.

The 25-year-old Abbott was a second-round pick back in 2021 out of the University of Virginia. He made his major league debut in 2023 and has 46 career starts under his belt.

In 2024, he went 10-10 with a 3.72 ERA, making 25 starts and tossing 138.0 innings. He struck out 114 hitters in that time.

The Reds are coming off a season that saw them finish in fourth in the National League Central. They hired future Hall of Famer Terry Francona as their manager in the offseason.

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