(Photo credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images)

The Cincinnati Reds will welcome back a key component to their rotation on Saturday evening when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second contest of a three-game series.

Left-hander Andrew Abbott (10-10, 3.72 ERA in 2024) has worked his way back from a rotator cuff strain in his left shoulder. He will be reinstated from the 15-day injured list and make his season debut on Saturday.

Abbott made two starts on a rehabilitation assignment for Triple-A Louisville, allowing four runs on 10 hits -- including three homers -- over 10 innings, walking five and striking out eight.

Abbott was 0-1 with a 2.57 ERA in two spring training starts, permitting two runs and four hits over seven innings and holding opponents to an .077 batting average.

Abbott made his last start in 2024 on Aug. 18 against Kansas City. Five days later, he was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left shoulder strain and didn't pitch for the rest of the season.

The back end of the Cincinnati pitching staff has been impressive, with Emilio Pagan converting all three save chances, including Friday night's 5-3 win over the Pirates. Converted starter Graham Ashcraft entered Friday's game in the seventh and threw two scoreless innings, setting the table for Pagan.

'We were saying in the bullpen, the training wheels are officially off with Graham and the bullpen,' Pagan said of Ashcraft. 'He's gone multiple (innings) three times this week. That's not easy to do at all.

'And, in my opinion, (Friday) was the best his stuff has been, which is a credit to where he's at physically, how well he's repeating his delivery. And you can see the confidence is kind of skyrocketing. The way he's thrown is an absolute weapon to us, and we're fortunate to have him.'

The Pirates will counter on Saturday with their second straight left-hander in Andrew Heaney (0-0, 1.50 ERA), who will make his third start of the season.

In his most recent outing, Heaney struck out 10 while allowing one run in seven innings on Sunday against the New York Yankees. But he came away with a no-decision in the team's 5-4, 11-inning walk-off win.

Heaney will make his third career start against the Reds, and the first since April 17, 2022, when he threw six scoreless innings, struck out 11 and earned the win in a 9-1 victory for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Pirates are suffering through an injury spell with two key position players.

Starting shortstop Oneil Cruz missed his second straight game Friday after being hit by a pitch on his left hand by Steven Matz on Wednesday afternoon. On Friday, catcher Joey Bart came out in the second inning with lower back discomfort.

Endy Rodriguez moved from first base to catcher for the remainder of the game and committed a throwing error on a wild pitch in the third inning that resulted in two runs. That play turned out to be the difference in the game.

Rodriguez, who missed all of 2024 while recovering from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, has committed four errors this season.

'I think right now, a little bit of it is we're seeing he's missed a little bit of a year,' Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. 'He's also really athletic and trying to do some things. It's just slowing him back down. I would rather slow him back down than push him forward. We just have to make sure we continue to talk about these things with him.'

--Field Level Media