Their ace is one step closer to a return!
There are 84 pitchers on the planet who have thrown at least 200 innings since the start of the 2024 season, and only four of them have a lower ERA in that time than Hunter Greene’s 2.74.
You may have heard of those four guys: Paul Skenes (1.94), Tarik Skubal (2.31), Chris Sale (2.43), and Zack Wheeler (2.50).
Greene, of course, has settled in as the resident ace of the Cincinnati Reds, though he’s been absent from their mound since June 3rd after a nagging groin issue shut him down once again. It’s the same groin that sent him to the shelf for a time in May, and the Reds have been cautious in bringing their ace back along despite their persistence in the National League Wild Card chase.
It looks like their patience has finally reached a point of advancement, however, as Greene is set for a rehab assignment in Goodyear, Arizona with the Arizona Complex League Reds, per the team’s Twitter account.
The #Reds today sent RHP Hunter Greene to ACL Reds on a rehab assignment.
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) July 23, 2025
Presumably Greene will make at least one rehab start in Arizona before advancing to the upper minors for a quick stint, too, and then will rejoin the Reds – if all goes smoothly. So, we’re still looking at a minimum of two weeks until we see him back with the big league club.
It’s a perpetual cop-out to say ‘it’ll be just like a trade’ when these kinds of moves happen around the actual trade deadline, but it’s certainly hard to underestimate just how much adding a pitcher of Greene’s caliber back to the rotation after two months out will be a boost.
Hopefully the Reds front office doesn’t just rest on getting him back and decides to be proactive in making additions elsewhere, too.