Terry Francona Has High Praise for Andrew Abbott Amid Solid Stretch

Cincinnati Reds starter Andrew Abbott didn't walk away with a win on Wednesday night at Citi Field.

He threw six innings and gave up just two earned runs, both on solo home runs, in a 4-2 loss to the New York Mets.

Still, Terry Francona had nothing but good things to say about how his lefty competed.

"Abbott gave us a great chance to win," Francona said. "The two runs were the two solo homers. That's what he can do."

The outing wasn't easy.

Abbott threw a season-high 101 pitches against a Mets lineup that worked long at-bats and made hard contact at times, and he scattered five hits in the process.

But the damage stayed limited to the two solo shots, and he never let the game get away from him through six innings.

Cincinnati stranding 17 runners on base probably tells the real story of why this one ended up in the loss column.

"I don't think it was altogether easy, but he gave up two solo homers," Francona added.

Francona's words after the game mean a little more given where Abbott was two months ago.

The 26-year-old lefty got the ball on Opening Day for Cincinnati with Hunter Greene sidelined by an injury, and the early outings were rough.

Abbott was 0-2 with a 6.59 ERA through his first six starts, nowhere near the guy who made the All-Star team a year earlier.

That feels like a long time ago now.

Over his last six outings, Abbott has gone 4-1 with a 1.59 ERA, and in five May starts he's pitched to a 1.29 ERA.

It's been maybe the best individual stretch from any pitcher on a Cincinnati roster that a lot of people picked to fall short this season.

Francona sees the confidence building.

"He knows what he's doing," Francona said. "I know he feels way better about himself and his confidence is growing, as it should."

Abbott earned his first All-Star selection in 2025 after posting a 2.87 ERA, one of the best marks among qualified NL starters.

The early-season dip in 2026 had some people wondering whether that version of him was going to come back, and for a while the numbers suggested it might not.

But the last month has changed the conversation.

The Reds are 29-26 with an off day Thursday before the Braves come to town for a three-game set.

Nick Lodolo and Chase Burns both threw well earlier in the Mets series, and Abbott gave them a quality start on Wednesday even if the offense couldn't come through behind him.

If the rotation keeps pitching like this, Cincinnati is going to be a tough out the rest of the way.