Cincinnati Reds right-hander Hunter Greene's first game since June 17 went poorly as the visiting Toronto Blue Jays scored nine runs off him in three-plus innings Sunday.
The Reds had activated Greene off the 60-day injured list to start Sunday's game after his recovery from right hip pain.
He allowed 10 hits, including five home runs, three walks and eight earned runs with four strikeouts. Greene pitched into the fourth inning, when he yielded three homers and two walks without registering an out before being replaced by Buck Farmer.
Cincinnati made room on the 26-man roster by optioning right-hander Alan Busenitz to Triple-A Louisville. Busenitz, 32, was 0-0 with a 3.60 ERA, one walk and three strikeouts in five innings over five appearances.
Greene, 24, had made his final rehabilitation start for Louisville on Tuesday, when he threw 83 pitches (52 for strikes). He averaged 97.4 mph with his fastball, below his MLB season average of 98.6, and reached 100 mph three times, according to the Reds' website.
"The goal of his rehab was to get him back to where he's fully built up, fully available," manager David Bell said before Greene's return to Cincinnati.
Greene was the team's 2023 Opening Day starter and had a 2-4 record with a 3.93 ERA, 31 walks and 100 strikeouts in 73 1/3 innings over his first 14 starts.
He made four rehab starts at the Rookie and Triple-A levels, allowing seven hits, five runs (four earned) and seven walks with 15 strikeouts in 14 innings.
The Reds selected Greene in the first round (second player overall) in the 2017 MLB June Amateur Draft. He signed a six-year, $53 million extension in April.
In another move Sunday, left-hander Nick Lodolo was transferred from Double-A Chattanooga to Triple-A Louisville as his rehabilitation continues for a stress fracture in his left shin.
Lodolo, 25, has started seven games for Cincinnati this season, with a 2-1 mark, 6.29 ERA, 10 walks and 47 strikeouts in 34 1/3 innings.
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