Reds power rankings: Who is the No. 1 starting pitcher heading into the offseason?

How do the Reds starters rank heading into the 2023-24 offseason?

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Nick Lodolo
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Nick Lodolo | Michael Zagaris/GettyImages
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3. Andrew Abbott, Reds starting pitcher

Now I'm sure that there are a handful of fans who think that Andrew Abbott is the best starting pitcher on the Cincinnati Reds roster. While there's certainly merit to that argument, I've got a very difficult time slotting a rookie as the best pitcher on the team.

That's taking nothing away from Abbott. The left-hander came in and simply dominated the opposition. Early on, opponents were unable to even score a run off the University of Virginia alum.

Abbott's release point on his fastball is key to his success. The lefty also has a nice array of pitches, and is confident in every single one of them. There's a quiet confidence that Abbott carries onto the mound, and that's an intangible that you just can't teach.

Abbott simply ran out of gas down the stretch. The 24-year-old was approaching an innings-limit, and had the Reds not been in a playoff race, he would have probably been shut down. It was apparent that Abbott was spent during the final few weeks of his rookie season.

There's every reason to believe that when all the dust is settled, Andrew Abbott will the best starting pitcher in the Cincinnati Reds rotation next season. No one would be wrong in thinking that. But he's going to have to prove it.

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