Reds’ Terry Francona delivers encouraging Hunter Greene injury update

Although the Cincinnati Reds’ offense has been among the best in MLB over the last two weeks, this franchise’s identity is still built around its starting pitching rotation.

Aside from phenom Chase Burns, the results have been quite grisly thus far. This team sorely misses Hunter Greene. Luckily, he is making progress in his recovery from an elbow injury.

The 2024 All-Star threw his first side bullpen session since going on the injured list in spring training, and manager Terry Francona informed everyone on how it went. Fans should feel optimistic but temper their excitement, as there is still a ways to go in this rehab process.

“Other than it’s really kind of cool to see him throw a side, that’s not going to impact or tell very much,” the two-time World Series-winning skipper said, per MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon. “He’s got some work to do.”

Greene is surely getting antsy to make his season debut, but he took an important step toward that presently unknown date at the team complex in Goodyear, Arizona.

Francona believes that his dynamic right-hander threw approximately 15-20 pitches on Tuesday, and did so without incident. The expectation is still that Greene will return at some point in July.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft is 25-29 with a 3.65 ERA, 617 strikeouts and a 1.140 WHIP in 495 2/3 innings pitched in his big-league career. Hopefully, his elbow responds well after clearing this checkpoint.

The Reds rank 26th in The Show with a 4.71 ERA, so Terry Francona is probably waiting in great anticipation for Hunter Greene to return. He knows that patience will be required, though.