GOODYEAR, ARIZ. — Since the first day of Spring Training, whenever questions about the starting rotation were offered, manager Terry Francona and each pitcher stressed, emphasized, and highlighted the importance of staying healthy. In unison, the Reds were talking about the health of the rotation being a critical piece of any team success in 2026.
In an era when starting pitcher injuries are at an all-time high, however, the Reds just can’t avoid the injury bug—the team announced that ace Hunter Greene will have elbow surgery. Before leaving camp last week to get two opinions on his elbow, Greene said, “If something has to be done, it’s early and we’ll get it out of the way quick and can have the big chunk of the season. If we have a playoff push, I’ll be ready to go.”
In a rotation full of talent, Greene is the Reds’ frontline pitcher. Even the other starters agree. When he’s rolling, he has the ability to carry the Reds to a win against any opposing lineup—so the idea of spending any time this season without Greene is a blow that the Reds will have to handle.
“You hate it for him, and you hate it for us,” says closer Emilio Pagán. “Hunter had a great offseason. He came in looking great. In his first Spring Training game, his fastball was 101. The guy is incredibly gifted. He wants to be great, and he wants us to be great. The threat of him missing time sucks all the way around.”
The Reds are a worse team without Greene, who likely won’t be ready to pitch until July, but they’re also well-suited to handle an injury in the rotation because of how much talented depth is on the roster. While no one can really replace him, his injury could create a way for Rhett Lowder to receive a rotation spot he deserves.
Lowder faced an uphill climb to make the Reds’ Opening Day rotation at the start of camp, but he’s gone on to have the most impressive Spring Training of anyone here. The Reds postponed making any decisions or conclusions about their plans for the rotation, and Francona said that things always work themselves out. While Greene’s injury is a really tough circumstance, Lowder profiles as a standout “next man up.”
While he was the Reds’ sixth starter entering camp, Lowder is more than ready to be a No. 3 starter in a good rotation. Nick Lodolo says about the rookie, “He can pitch. I compare it to video games. He almost sits there with a controller and moves the ball around. Every time I see him, I feel like he has something new. It’s really impressive being that young. At that age, I could not move the ball around like that.”
The questions with Lowder, who missed the entire 2025 season with elbow and oblique injuries, is how much the Reds will need to manage his innings and whether or not he’ll be able to make 32 starts. President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall doesn’t have a definitive plan for that yet, saying “we’ll see” as the Reds go through the season.
If Lowder fills the open spot in the Reds’ rotation, Andrew Abbott moves up to the top. The All-Star will start on Opening Day for the Reds on March 26 against the Boston Red Sox. “I don’t take anything for granted,” he says. “I’m honored to represent Cincinnati on that day. Having the chance with all the talent we have on this team means a lot to me. Any one of those guys deserves it. I’m excited to take the ball and give it my all.”
Abbott doesn’t light up the radar gun or pile up strikeouts like his teammates do. But the former second-round pick has developed a reputation as one of the savviest old-school pitchers in baseball. His teammates marvel at how he goes about it.
“He’s good, man,” says Lodolo. “He’s consistent. He just pitches. There’s nothing really crazy to it. He’s good across the board. It’s old school to have a guy who pitches, has good stuff, and knows how to use it.”
A starting rotation’s circumstances can change quickly due to injuries. Even without Greene for several months, the way the Reds are built requires their rotation to be the team’s core strength. The unit has to consistently lead the Reds to wins, or else the 2026 season won’t live up to expectations.
Charlie Goldsmith has covered the Reds and Bengals since 2020, and his newsletter on the teams can be found at charlieschalkboard.substack.com.
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