Jon Morosi tossed out a trade idea for Andrew Abbott that doesn’t line up with how the Reds have operated, and it’s hard to see Cincinnati entertaining it.
On 104.3 The Score in Chicago, Morosi floated Abbott as a possible deadline candidate, even though the left-hander is still pre-arbitration eligible and under team control for three more years beyond the 2026 season. Abbott also just delivered one of his better outings of the year against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night, which only makes the suggestion look more out of step with reality.
Morosi framed the Reds as a club that has struggled lately and pointed to Abbott’s value as a controllable starter.
"I thought they (the Reds) were going to be a much better team when this season started," Morosi said. "They really have struggled over the last month, and I wonder (if) a pitcher like Andrew Abbott, who was an All-Star a year ago - a really impressive lefty with multiple years of control - he's almost like what (Tarik) Skubal was a couple years ago, but it's an even more obvious sell-decision in my opinion."
That’s where the Abbott idea loses steam. A pitcher with that kind of control and that kind of role is exactly the sort of arm teams usually build around, not ship out.
That said, Cincinnati may still have some rotation decisions to make before August 3. Brady Singer, who is headed for free agency after the season, stands out as the clearest trade candidate. Nick Lodolo is another name worth watching.
Lodolo’s career has been interrupted by injuries, but after a short IL stint to open the year, he’s looked like the frontline starter Reds fans have been waiting for. Over his last three outings, he has a 0.60 ERA and a 2.85 FIP, and he has struck out 23% of batters in that stretch.
Unlike Abbott, Lodolo could make sense as a trade chip if the Reds want to address the crowding in their rotation and bring back a prospect package. Hunter Greene’s return pushed Rhett Lowder into the bullpen, and Chase Petty, who had also shifted from starting to relief, was recently sent back to the minors.
Lodolo is under team control through next season, and with uncertainty looming around the next collective bargaining talks, the Reds could decide this is the right time to sell high on the 28-year-old lefty.
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For Cincinnati, the timing only adds to the what-if factor because Schwarber is again producing at a level that makes every missed chance sting a little more. He also made clear he still has respect for the Reds after those discussions, which leaves the door open emotionally even if the roster move never happened. Meanwhile, Andrew Abbott is quietly approaching a notable milestone of his own, sitting six starts shy of a mark no Reds left-handed pitcher has reached since Tom Browning in 1994. [Read more 🡒]