Cincinnati Reds Name First-Time Opening Day Starter for 2026 Season

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott (41) pitches in the first inning between Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Sept. 21, 2025. Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cincinnati Reds Name First-Time Opening Day Starter for 2026 Season

Originally posted on Cincinnati Reds on SI
By Greg Kuffner | Last updated Mar 8, 2026 1:25 PM ET

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The Cincinnati Reds have announced Andrew Abbott as their starter for Opening Day against the Boston Red Sox.

Hunter Greene, who was the favorite to start, is dealing with an elbow injury and is unlikely to be ready for the start of the season.

Abbott is entering his fourth season with the Reds and he's improved every season. In 2025, he was named an All-Star for the first time in his career. He made 29 starts and had an ERA of 2.87 to go along with 149 strikeouts in 166 1/3 innings.

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The left-hander spoke with the media on Sunday.

"Having the chance with all the talent we have on this team means a lot to me," Abbott told Charlie Goldsmith. "Any one of those guys deserves it. I'm excited to take the ball and give it my all."

Abbott's Spring Numbers

Abbott's numbers haven't been great so far this spring, but he noticed improvement in his most recent start.

"I had way better command with my fastball and changeup," Abbott said. "I felt two pitches down. They destroyed them. That's what you're going get in the league."

"Execution is still turning a corner. I got more swings and misses today. I was in the zone. My changeup was way better. 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."

He has given up 10 runs in just 7 1/3 innings this spring.

The Reds open the season on March 26 at Great American Ball Park against the Boston Red Sox.

This article first appeared on Cincinnati Reds on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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