Reds News: Last rotation spot claimed, Alexis Díaz faltering, Marty Brennaman honored

The Cincinnati Reds roster is beginning to take shape. On Thursday, the Reds made another roster cut and reassigned right-hander Lyon Richardson to minor-league camp. The Reds now have 37 players remaining in camp, and one will be headed to the IL at the outset of the season.

According to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Andrew Abbott has been informed that he will begin the 2025 season on the IL. Abbott has been dealing with a shoulder injury all spring, and while there was an outside chance that the lefty could have been added to the Reds Opening Day roster, Terry Francona and Co. preferred to play things safe.

Reds News: Carson Spiers, not Graham Ashcraft, will be Cincy's No. 5 starter

With Abbott set to open the year on the IL, the final spot in the Reds rotation came down to a choice between Carson Spiers and Graham Ashcraft. Francona chose Spiers to be the Reds No. 5 starter to begin the season, meaning that if Ashcraft wants to break camp with big league club, he'll need to do so as a reliever.

Reds have told Andrew Abbott he’ll open on IL. Carson Spiers will open as fifth starter.
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubMLB) March 20, 2025

Things were trending this direction for the past couple of weeks. After a hot-start this spring, Ashcraft ran into some problems during his last couple of outings, and a move to the bullpen seemed likely. Spiers, however, has looked very good throughout his time in Goodyear, and will now join Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Nick Martinez, and Brady Singer in the Reds Opening Day rotation.

Reds News: Alexis Díaz may not be on the Opening Day roster

Alexis Díaz has one more chance to make a good impression on his new manager. To date, the Reds closer has not looked good in his three outings this spring. Díaz has allowed five runs on five hits with five walks over 2.1 innings pitched.

The right-hander suffered a hamstring injury at the start of camp and hasn't had much time to get his legs under him. After pitching in a minor league earlier this week, the Reds plan to deploy Díaz one more time this weekend. If Francona has any hesitation, Díaz could be left off the Reds Opening Day roster.

Reds News: Hall of Fame Marty Brennaman to be honored

If there's one person who's been synonymous with Reds baseball over the past 50 years, it's Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennaman. He'll now be immortalized outside of Great American Ball Park in the form of a bronze statue.

The statue will be unveiled on September 6 and will face Joe Nuxhall Way. Quite the tribute given the years that Marty and Joe worked side by side on the radio. Brennaman retired from play-by-play back in 2019 and was replaced by Tommy Thrall.