The strength of the Cincinnati Reds’ roster is the starting rotation. It’s not a coincidence that the team bounced back from its worst week of the season with wins in two games when the team got quality starts.
On Sunday, Brady Singer continued a three-week stretch where he’s been the team’s most dependable pitcher with a performance against the Cardinals, allowing three runs in six innings and picking up the win. On Monday, Hunter Greene allowed one run in 6 ⅓ innings. The Reds need more of these types of performances going forward.
Greene’s return from the injured list is one of the biggest storylines of the season’s stretch run, and he has delivered in three of those four starts. He’s embracing the opportunity to be a difference maker as the Reds try to push for a playoff spot. Entering Tuesday, the Reds are four games back of the New York Mets.
“We’re in a crucial part of the season making this push,” says Greene, who missed more than two months with a groin injury. “Every game matters from now on. It means a lot. It’s a lot of fun playing games like we’re in now and for the rest of the season. I’m trying to keep a good energy.”
So far, the story of Greene’s season has been the time he missed due to injury. He has the chance to create a different narrative over this final month. These starts mean a lot to him, which is reflected by the emotion he’s showing after making big pitches. “There are a lot more meaningful games for the rest of the season,” says Greene. “I’m just trying to do my part there. You can’t change the past. I’m trying to be positive and be able to make a change in the second half of the season. That’s where my mind is at.”
Singer had a 4.66 ERA on June 1 but has a 3.62 ERA since. In August, he delivered a quality start in five of his six appearances. He also had four starts where he allowed one run or fewer.
The Reds targeted him on the trade market in the offseason because the front office valued his proven ability to pitch deep into games. Singer has been as advertised. “The big thing is trying to stay in the zone,” he says. “The movement of my pitches is there. I can attack hitters how I’ve been trying to all year. I can throw it where I want.”
Nick Lodolo’s return from the injured list strengthens the way the rotation looks. After dealing with a blister issue, Lodolo allowed four runs in 4 ⅔ innings in his return. He’d been in the middle of his best stretch of the season before he went on the injured list, and he has the tools to be the type of starter that can lead a team to a win in a playoff game.
Lodolo said that nipping the blister issue in the bud with early treatment was the key to him only missing a few weeks. There were encouraging signs in his return from the injured list, including the way that he spun his breaking ball. His ability return to the top of his game can become an X-factor for if the rotation and the team.
The other X-factor is Andrew Abbott, an All-Star who turned in subpar starts in each of his last two games. Following his most recent outing, where he allowed two runs but lasted just five innings, he gave an honest assessment, saying, “Overall, that was a terrible outing. No execution whatsoever. I was fighting tempo all day. The thing I did well was hold them to two in that inning. You’ve got to be better than that down the stretch, especially with a lot on the line.”
Like Greene, Abbott is embracing his pivotal role on the Reds. This part of the schedule has been on Abbott’s mind all year. In each season of his professional career, he’s started off extremely well but faded down the stretch. He made significant changes to his routine, strength training, and diet to try to prevent a similar experience in 2025.
Zack Littell, the Reds’ addition to the rotation at the trade deadline, has had mixed results and posted a 3.90 in his first five starts with Cincinnati. He had two starts where he didn’t make it through five innings and three standout starts of six innings or more.
The Reds’ lineup and defense haven’t proven to be up to the task of getting on a positive run this season. The offense has been scuffling, and now top prospect Sal Stewart has been called up with the hope that he’ll provide a spark. The defense cost the Reds some pivotal games over the last three weeks against the Brewers, Dodgers, and Cardinals.
The starting pitching has been solid and consistent, but there’s another gear the Reds’ rotation is capable of reaching. The performance of that group could be this team’s biggest difference maker down the stretch.
Charlie Goldsmith has covered the Reds and Bengals since 2020, and his newsletter on the teams can be found at charlieschalkboard.substack.com. He’s @CharlieG__ on X.
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