Hunter Greene Receives New Major Trade Deadline Update

Calling Greene not only available but a coin flip to be traded is a significant development from Rosenthal's earlier report that teams were simply showing interest.

Greene, 26, is one of the hardest-throwing pitchers in baseball, averaging 98.4 mph on his fastball this season. When healthy, he is also one of the sport's most dominant strikeout pitchers. Over the past two seasons, he has thrown 258 combined innings while striking out 301 batters.

Greene is not only dominant but also affordable. The Reds signed him to a six-year, $53 million extension before the 2023 season. He is owed $15 million next season, $16 million in 2028, and has a $21 million club option for 2029.

Given that combination of talent, age, and team-friendly control, it's easy to understand why Rosenthal reported the Reds "aren't motivated" to trade him. That is, until Olney suggested a deal may be much more realistic.

The starting pitching market is headlined by Tarik Skubal, but it becomes much murkier after that with question marks surrounding Freddy Peralta, Clay Holmes, Robbie Ray, and Kevin Gausman. Greene would immediately vault near the top of every contender's wish list.

Several contenders, including the Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Tampa Bay Rays, are searching for starting pitching. All have enough prospect capital to make a serious push if the Reds become willing to move Greene. He could also become the pivot option for teams that miss out on Skubal but still want a frontline starter.

Whether Greene ultimately gets traded or not, one thing is clear: the trade deadline just became even more unpredictable.