The Cincinnati Reds may have to wait a bit longer for Hunter Greene’s return to the mound.
According to Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now, Greene was scratched from his scheduled minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday due to renewed soreness in his right groin—the same area that initially landed him on the injured list.
Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Greene has since undergone an MRI. The 25-year-old has been sidelined since June 4 with a Grade 1 groin strain and also received an epidural to treat lingering back discomfort.
Before the injury, Greene was one of MLB’s top-performing pitchers, boasting a 2.72 ERA and 73 strikeouts over 59.2 innings in 11 starts. While Greene told Goldsmith he considers himself “day-to-day,” the Reds will await MRI results before making any decisions about his next steps.
Hunter Greene Has Dealt With Numerous Injuries
Known for his triple-digit fastball, Hunter Greene made major strides in 2024. The hard-throwing right-hander started a career-high 26 games, posting a 2.75 ERA with 169 strikeouts over 150.1 innings. His breakout season earned him his first All-Star selection and an eighth-place finish in the National League Cy Young race.
However, Greene also missed over a month due to right elbow soreness.
Coming into this season, Greene appeared poised to build on that momentum, but injuries have gotten in the way. He was initially sidelined from May 8–23 with a right groin strain, then made three starts before the issue resurfaced, forcing him out of a June 3 outing against the Milwaukee Brewers after five innings and landing him back on the injured list.
He was slated to make a rehab appearance Tuesday for Triple-A Louisville, potentially setting him up to return this Sunday against the Colorado Rockies—the Reds’ final game before the All-Star break. Now, the team can only hope this latest setback proves to be minor.
How Have the Reds Fared this Season?
The Cincinnati Reds opened a three-game series against the Miami Marlins on Monday with a 46-44 record, trailing the first-place team in the NL Central by eight games.
In Hunter Greene’s absence, left-hander Andrew Abbott has emerged as a key contributor, posting a 7-1 record with a 2.15 ERA over 15 starts. Fellow starter Nick Lodolo has also held his own, delivering a solid 3.58 ERA.
Manager Terry Francona told NBC 5 Cincinnati’s Charlie Clifford that Greene’s MRI was conducted “out of an abundance of caution,” emphasizing that the team isn’t looking to rush their star right-hander back into action.
Greene, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, signed a six-year, \$53 million contract extension with the Reds in 2023, solidifying his status as a franchise cornerstone.
