Unsurprisingly, the Cincinnati Reds named right-hander Hunter Greene their Opening Day starter for the 2025 season. The Reds will open the year against the San Francisco Giants on March 27. Greene will be going up against right-hander Logan Webb in the opening series.
Your 2025 Opening Day Starter, Hunter Greene
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— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) March 7, 2025
Greene, entering his fourth season with the Reds, is coming off a strong 2024 campaign in which he posted a 9-5 record, a 2.75 ERA, and 169 strikeouts. This will mark his second consecutive Opening Day start, having earned the nod in 2023 after establishing himself as a reliable and productive starter in the majors.
“His stuff is pretty special,” Reds manager Terry Francona said when announcing his rotation plans Friday morning. “It’s 100 [miles per hour]. You don’t see that a lot out of starters. It’s got a chance to be pretty special.”
Hunter Greene Named Reds 2025 Opening Day Starter
A workhorse on the mound, Greene set a career high with 150 1/3 innings pitched last season. His ability to pitch deep into games and generate strikeouts has made him a force in the Reds’ rotation. According to Baseball Savant, he ranked in the 81st percentile with a strikeout rate of 27.7% and showcased elite fastball velocity, averaging 97.6 mph and often reaching triple digits.
Known for his flamethrowing fastball, Greene limited opponents to a .188 expected batting average (xBA) last season, further solidifying his dominant skill set.
Left-hander Nick Lodolo, right-hander Nick Martinez, and right-hander Brady Singer will follow Greene in the rotation to open the season. The fifth spot is still to be determined as spring training progresses. It will be Greene’s second Opening Day assignment, his first coming in 2023, and it follows a season where he channeled his tools and energy to become one of the most efficient and effective starters in the majors.
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