Reds Receive Devastating News on Starting Pitcher Hunter Greene

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Hunter Greene (21) throws a pitch in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Washington Nationals at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Friday, May 2, 2025. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Reds Receive Devastating News on Starting Pitcher Hunter Greene

Originally posted on Cincinnati Reds on SI | Last updated Aug 13, 2026 12:28 PM ET

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The 2026 Cincinnati Reds season takes yet another blow.

The Cincinnati Enquirer's Gordon Wittenmeyer reported on Thursday that Hunter Greene required a second Tommy John surgery, ending his 2026 season and taking him out of the picture for the 2027 season.

Though the Reds only had Greene available for a brief stretch of the 2026 season, this still comes as a huge blow for the future of the team. The Reds and their fans have been anticipating a full season of Greene and phenom Chase Burns together in the starting rotation, but this will have to wait until at least 2028.

In Greene's five starts this season at the Major League level, he was 2-2 with a 6.83 ERA, having 33 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings pitched. In the 2025 race to the postseason for the Reds, Hunter Greene was among the best pitchers in baseball, going 7-4 in 19 starts with a 2.76 ERA.

This injury also risks Greene's future with the Reds as well. Greene is scheduled to make $15 million next season and $16 million in 2028, but has a club option in 2029 before hitting unrestricted free agency in 2030.

Medical Staff Questions

The bigger question is, if the Reds knew Greene had been dealing with this injury for as long as he was, why did it take until this late in the season to determine that he needed surgery? The Reds' medical staff has received plenty of criticism over the years, whether it's failing to correctly diagnose an injury, allowing a player to continue playing through an injury for too long, as we saw with Elly De La Cruz in 2025, or simply not providing clear information about how long a player is expected to be sidelined.

We're looking at yet another concerning situation involving the Reds' medical staff, on top of the growing questions about the future of the rotation. Greene's injury also seems to make it even more likely that the Reds will shut Chase Burns down at some point this season rather than take any unnecessary risks. Cincinnati has already dealt with Nick Lodolo's recurring blister issues, Brandon Williamson working his way back from Tommy John surgery and Rhett Lowder's shoulder issues that sidelined him for a stretch earlier this season. Thankfully, Andrew Abbott has been a beacon of health so far in 2026. Please don't let that be a jinx.

As the Reds finish out 2026 and begin looking toward 2027, Greene's injury puts even more emphasis on the need to add another starting pitcher this offseason. And please, make sure it's an actual quality starting pitcher who can be counted on to give this rotation some much-needed stability.

This article first appeared on Cincinnati Reds on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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