Ranking the 3 most impactful pitching performances from Reds starters in 2023

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When the Cincinnati Reds needed it the most, rookie pitcher Connor Phillips delivered. The right-hander, who just had his contract selected and was officially added to the 40-man roster, made his third start of the season on Monday night against the Minnesota Twins.

But was Phillips' outing the best of the season by a Reds starter? Believe it or not, the Reds have seen 17 different starting pitchers toe the rubber this season. Graham Ashcraft, who was recently placed on the 60-day IL, leads the way with 26 starts.

While there aren't many great performances to choose from, Cincinnati did have some standout starts that have helped put them into playoff contention this season. Let's look at the Top 3 most impactful pitching performances from Reds starters this season.

3. Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott makes his major league debut.

Fans who follow the Reds farm system knew how good Andrew Abbott was. The left-hander had been so dominant at Double-A Chattanooga to begin the 2023 season, the Reds needed to see if what they were witnessing was the real thing or a product of the pre-tacked baseballs in the Southern League.

As it turns out, what everyone was seeing from Abbott was not a mirage, but the real thing. The University of Virginia alum continued to dominate the competition at Triple-A Louisville, and a rash of injuries dictated that Abbott make his major league debut on June 5th against the Milwaukee Brewers.

It didn't take for Reds fans to realize that Andrew Abbott was the real deal. Abbott walked one batter in the first inning, but struck out former MVP Christian Yelich to retire the side. The second inning provided Abbott with a little trouble, as back-to-back walks to start the inning put runners on first and second.

But Andrew Abbott handled his business and struck out two of the next three batters without allowing a run. Abbott finished with six strikeouts and four walks through six innings of work while allowing just one hit in his debut. That one hit didn't come until the top of the fifth inning off the bat of Joey Wiemer.

While Abbott has had better starts since his debut, that first game showed Reds coaches and teammates that they had a talented, young, left-handed starter who could be an anchor in the rotation. Moving forward, it's quite possible that Abbott will eventually be the Cincinnati Reds Opening Day starter.

2. Reds starter Hunter Greene dominates in return from IL.

Hunter Greene has had an up and down season with the Cincinnati Reds. Heck, he's an up and down career to this point. Drafted with the second overall pick in 2017, Greene made his big league debut last season and flashed the potential of what could be an ace for the Reds moving forward.

The Reds were so enamored by Greene's potential that they signed the flamethrower to a six-year contract extension this season. Greene is set to be a big part of the Reds future and he's barely 24 years old.

But early-season results led some fans to believe that the Reds backed the wrong horse, believing instead that Nick Lodolo or Graham Ashcraft should've received that big pay day. Lodolo has been out for most of the season with a lower leg injury, and Ashcraft has endured similar ups and downs as Greene in Year 2 in the big leagues.

But Greene's performance upon returning from the COVID-19-related injured list was exactly what the Reds needed at exactly the right time. Greene, who'd just begun to return to form after dealing with a hip issues earlier in the season, missed two starts in late-August/ early-September.

But, on September 10th against the St. Louis Cardinals, Greene returned and allowed just one run on one hit with nine strikeouts. While Greene did walk four batters, he lasted six innings and gave Cincinnati manager David Bell 109 pitches. Being able to go back out for the sixth inning was key to that outing from Greene.

Hunter Greene is the Cincinnati Reds frontline starter at the moment, and he has all the raw tools to be an effective starting pitcher for years to come. While Year 2 has been met with some adversity, there's every reason to believe that Greene can overcome his struggles and be the top-flight starter Cincinnati needs.

1. Reds rookie Connor Phillips keeps playoff hopes alive.

This is not an exaggeration. Connor Phillips start on Monday night against the Minnesota Twins was the most impactful start for the Cincinnati Reds all season. The rookie gave David Bell seven innings in a must-have game, and looked dominant doing it.

While you're not going to see double-digit strikeouts, Phillips was able to keep the base paths relatively clear while getting swings and misses when he needed them. The right-hander allowed two runs, both on solo shots, while striking out seven batters.

More importantly, Phillips walked only one batter all night. The bugaboo for Phillips in the minor leagues has been his command of the strike zone. The 22-year-old is known to have an electric fastball, but too many walks have haunted Phillips all season.

In his last start, Phillips struck out just three batters and walked four. On Monday night, Phillips was firing on all cylinders. But most importantly, Phillips was efficient and was able to to help give the Cincinnati Reds bullpen a breather.

The Reds bullpen has been overworked all season, and with Fernando Cruz starting the next game, getting seven innings out of Phillips was crucial as Cincinnati remains in the playoff hunt with only 10 games to go.

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