Andrew Abbott makes MLB debut as Reds try to salvage a game in series finale vs. Brewers

Last week was a good week of Cincinnati Reds baseball. The bats were timely, the pitching sufficient, and they ripped off 5 consecutive wins in the most hallowed cathedrals of Major League Baseball.

It was enough to have rumblings of going for it and trying to win games surface within our minds, the idea being that turning things over to the most talented players in the team’s system right now could help get these surprising Reds over the top - and even into first place with a strong weekend against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Good lord, did those hopes ever become fleeting.

The Reds not only opted against promoting Elly De La Cruz and Christian Encarnacion-Strand, they fell flat in each of the first 3 games against Milwaukee at home. Just like that, they’re now at risk of falling within a half-game of last place in the dismal National League Central, and at -35 have by far and away the worst run differential in the division.

It will be a different tantalizing rookie to whom the Reds will turn their hopes. In Andrew Abbott, the Reds will be rolling out today a strikeout machine whose left arm deceives and destroys opposing hitters like a symphonic maestro. He has carved up opponents at each and every stop along his journey since being a 2nd round pick out of the University of Virginia, and tonight he’ll get to cut his chops against the team atop the NL Central standings. The Reds, meanwhile, will get to dole out lumps to veteran Julio Teheran, who only ended up on the Milwaukee staff recently after opting out of his deal with the San Diego Padres amid the Brewers rotation decimation.

First pitch is set for 7:10 PM ET. Tune in to see what the latest Reds rookie has in store!

Reds Lineup

Brewers Lineup