Reds' playoff hopes take hit with Hunter Greene news

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Hunter Greene. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Reds' playoff hopes take hit with Hunter Greene news

By David Hill | Last updated Aug 7, 2026 5:45 PM ET

The Cincinnati Reds faint playoff hopes may have been dealt a fatal blow on Friday.

Pat Brennan of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported that pitcher Hunter Greene will undergo surgery on his right elbow.

While Brennan reported that the surgery will pertain to Greene's elbow ligament, it is unclear as to what type of surgery he will have.

Regardless of whether Greene has full Tommy John surgery or an internal brace procedure, he will miss significant time. Greene will miss the remainder of the 2026 season and should miss a significant portion, if not all, of 2027.

New on Reds from Nick Krall: Hunter Greene will have right elbow surgery around the ligament after seeking second opinion. Extent/specifics of the surgery won’t be known until the operation begins.
— Pat Brennan (@PBrennanENQ) August 7, 2026

Hunter Greene injury comes at worst possible time for Cincinnati Reds

Greene had missed the first three months of the season after a procedure to remove loose bodies from the same elbow. He had struggled in his five appearances with the Reds, posting a 6.83 ERA and a 1.373 WHIP over his 27.2 innings, striking out 33 batters with nine walks.

Despite those struggles, Greene was expected to be a needed upgrade to the rotation as they fought to remain in the playoff hunt. Those hopes were dashed after Greene felt soreness in his elbow during a side session on Tuesday, prompting his return to the Injured List.

Losing Greene will have an impact beyond this season. Chase Burns, Andrew Abbott and Brady Singer are a solid trio, but Singer is slated to reach free agency this offseason. Nick Lodolo is working back from blister issues and is not a paragon of health. Former top prospect Rhett Lowder is still struggling to find consistency at the major league level. The Reds may need to add at least one starting pitcher if they hope to contend in 2027.

Greene was supposed to give the Reds an ace internally with his return from the IL the equivalent of a blockbuster trade-deadline deal. Instead, his latest injury may mark the end of the Reds' playoff hopes for 2026.

David Hill

Based in the mountains of Vermont, Dave has over a decade of experience writing about all things baseball. Just don't ask his thoughts on the universal DH.

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