Despite rough spring numbers, Abbott's pitch execution and increased strikeouts signal readiness.
Andrew Abbott has not had the smoothest start to spring training, but the Cincinnati Reds left-hander is not worried about it and neither should the fans be.
Abbott gave up four earned runs on five hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings during Cincinnati's 6-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Friday in Scottsdale, and while the results were not pretty on paper, his words after the game told a much different story.
"Execution is still turning a corner. I got more swings and misses today. I was in the zone. My changeup was way better," Abbott said after the outing, per Charlie Goldsmith of FOX19. "You can see incremental changes. Now it's about pitching like I'm going into the regular season. It's time to stop working on stuff."
What Happened on Friday
The numbers from Friday's start did not look great, as Matt Chapman took Abbott deep for a two-run homer in the third inning and the Giants made hard contact throughout his time on the mound.
Abbott gave up a run in the first, another in the second and then Chapman's blast in the third ended his day at 2 2/3 innings.
The bright spot was the five strikeouts he racked up in that short outing, which showed his stuff was sharp even when the results did not follow.
None of his three spring starts have gone particularly well from a numbers standpoint, as he also allowed two earned runs in 2 2/3 innings against the Royals in his first outing and four earned runs in 2 2/3 innings against the Athletics in his second.
Why Reds Fans Should Not Worry
Here is the thing about spring training that gets lost every year: the numbers do not matter nearly as much as the process behind them.
Abbott is not out there trying to dominate lineups right now, he is working on his pitches and getting his body ready for a long season, and his comments reflect a pitcher who knows exactly where he is in his preparation.
The fact that he said his changeup was "way better" and that he was getting more swings and misses is a sign that his offspeed stuff is coming along, which is exactly what you want to see from a guy who posted a 2.87 ERA with 149 strikeouts across 166.1 innings in 2025.
Abbott earned his first All-Star nod last season and finished eighth in National League Cy Young voting while also recording a 1.148 WHIP, so this is not a pitcher who needs to prove anything in March.
The fact that he is now saying "it's time to stop working on stuff" and wants to pitch like it is the regular season means the switch is about to flip, and that should excite Reds fans more than any spring training box score ever could.
Where Things Stand for Cincinnati
The Reds are sitting at 6-5 in Cactus League play heading into Saturday's action, and the rotation is expected to be among the best in baseball this year with Abbott, Hunter Greene, Brady Singer and Nick Lodolo all in the mix.
Cincinnati made the playoffs as a Wild Card team in 2025 after going 83-79, and the front office has made moves to build on that success heading into the new year.
The addition of Eugenio Suarez, the expected emergence of rookie Sal Stewart, and a pitching staff that could be elite all have the Reds feeling confident about their chances in the NL Central.
Abbott is a big part of that equation, and while his spring numbers might raise some eyebrows, his mindset heading into the regular season is right where it needs to be.