Projecting the Cincinnati Reds 2027 Starting Rotation

Burns was everything the Reds had hoped for and more in 2026. The right-hander went 15-3 with a 2.86 ERA in 154 1/3 innings. His slider was nearly unhittable as opposing hitters hit just .145 against hit.

After tossing over 150 innings this season, Burns should be ready to go as the ace in 2027 without any sort of innings limit.

Nick Lodolo

It's been an up-and-down career for Nick Lodolo. When he's healthy and on the top of his game, he can be one of the better pitchers in the National League. When he's not, it can go off the rails quick.

Lodolo dealt with blisters twice during the 2026 season before ultimately deciding to change the grip on his breaking ball. He saw mixed results. With a full offseason to work on the new grip, it's not unreasonable to think Lodolo can take a big step in 2027.

Lodolo will be a free agent after the 2027 season, so he could be someone the Reds look into trading. But with his struggles in 2026, his value has probably dropped significantly and he's probably worth holding onto until possibly the trade deadline.

Andrew Abbott

Andrew Abbott has the worst season of his professional career in 2026. The left-hander went 6-11 with an ERA of 4.61. One pitch that Abbott struggled with in 2026 was his fastball. In 2025, opponents hit just .232 and slugged .365 against that pitch. In 2026, batters hit .261 and slugged .465 against it.

When Nick Krall met with the media on Thursday, he sent a clear message to Abbott, saying that he "needs to get himself into better shape going into next year."

Abbott has been one of Cincinnati's most consistent starters since he arrived, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see him bounce back in a big way next season.

Rhett Lowder

After not throwing a pitch in the bigs in 2025, 2026 was not the season Lowder was hoping for. The 24-year-old went 7-12 with a 5.74 ERA in 29 games.

What Lowder really lacks is a swing-and-miss pitch. When looking at his pitches, not one single pitch stands out. Opponents hit .263 against his sinker, .295 against his slider, .271 against his four-seam fastball, .255 against his changeup, and .429 against his curveball. Those are all too high. Lowder is still young and the Reds will need him to take a big step in 2027.

Brady Singer

By this point in the article, you're probably thinking there's no way the Reds are actually going to run it back, right? Listen, I hope I am wrong, but there are just too many signs for me to ignore at the moment.

When the Reds didn't trade Singer at the deadline, there was talk that the Reds could offer him the Qualifying Offer. C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic appeared on First Word with James Rapien and said he wouldn't be surprised to see Singer back.

Singer led the league with 102 earned runs allowed in 2026. There is no denying it, he was bad, especially down the stretch. Ultimately, I don't think the Reds will give him the #23 million QO, but I think there is a good chance they bring him back on a cheaper deal and he competes with guys like Brandon Williamson for the fifth starter spot.