The Cincinnati Reds aren’t in crisis mode yet, but they’re quickly approaching a point where tough decisions about their starting rotation will have to be made. The team has no shortage of talent on the mound, with pitchers like Nick Lodolo, Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, and Chase Burns all showing promise. Eventually, though, the front office will need to decide who’s part of the long-term plan and who isn’t.
Despite Greene’s All-Star showing in 2024 and Lodolo’s standout 2025 campaign, it might be wiser for Cincinnati to build around Burns and Abbott moving forward. Greene has battled injuries every year since 2022—including elbow issues last season and a groin strain this year—which raises questions about his durability. Lodolo has been dominant in 2025, but with arbitration looming in 2026 and free agency after 2027, his long-term future with the club is uncertain, especially given the depth of young arms in the system.
Abbott, on the other hand, is under team control through 2029 and looks like a foundational piece of the rotation. Cincinnati would be smart to explore an offseason extension. As for Chase Burns, his first five starts have been eye-opening—two featuring double-digit strikeouts—and he’s already showing the poise to handle elite competition. There’s no rush to label him the future ace, but if the Reds see him that way, a pre-arbitration extension like Greene once received could be a savvy investment.
Where the future of the rotation once revolved around Greene, Lodolo, and Graham Ashcraft, it now seems to be shifting toward Abbott, Burns, and top prospect Rhett Lowder.
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