Reds Reveal Concerning New Details About Hunter Greene's UCL Injury

The Cincinnati Reds announced on Friday that Hunter Greene will undergo a second elbow surgery this season. This time it’s to repair a partially torn UCL. Greene underwent a procedure in March to remove bone fragments in his right elbow and was sidelined until July 4. This is the third significant elbow surgery for the former number-two overall pick. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2019 while in the minor leagues.

This Is A Massive Blow To The Reds

Greene was activated on July 4. He pitched in five games this season with a 6.83 ERA in 27 2/3 innings. His best outing was on July 10. He went seven innings with three hits, no runs, one walk, and 12 strikeouts. He looked just like the pitcher he has been fairly consistently over the last three seasons. On July 25, he struggled, allowing eight hits and six earned runs in 5 1/3 innings. In his last start, he pitched six innings with seven hits, four earned runs, and two walks. He only recorded seven strikeouts across his final two starts.

“He was sore on and off for a couple of weeks, but it wasn’t something he brought to anyone’s attention because he thought it was (because he was) coming off the bone chip surgery,” Krall told Brian Giesenschlag. “You’re just going to push through it. We’re (seven) years since his last Tommy John. That’s usually how long it lasts.”

Apparently, he was pitching through discomfort over his last few starts, assuming it was from his procedure from March. When manager Terry Francona and the rest of the staff found out about the elbow pain, they sent him to go get checked out.

"I'm really glad we did that. Because he didn't want to. Because I get it. He wanted to pitch.”

Greene has undergone a ton of scrutiny over the years for his durability from certain media outlets. I do not doubt he wants to pitch. It's just unfortunate that he has dealt with significant injuries nearly every season of his career to this point. “These things just happen,” Krall said.

“When you remove the bone chips, the ligament looked ok,” Krall told Fox 19. “But you never know how the bone chips affect the ligament. It could have happened on the ramp-up. It also could have started way back when.”

There is no date announced for when the surgery will take place or the extent of the operation. The Reds are short-handed in the rotation currently. They have Chase Petty starting as an opener versus the Washington Nationals. He may have to move back into the rotation. Nick Lodolo will return on August 11 in the opener of the series against the White Sox. Brandon Williamson struggled in his last rehab start and will likely need more time before he returns. There are pitchers available on waivers. Former Red Zack Littell may also be an option; he was released by the Nationals on Friday.

Did Other Teams Notice And Back Out Of Trade Talks?

President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall takes questions during an event to introduce the new manager of the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Greene has been subject to trade rumors in each of the last two seasons. He signed a six-year, $53 million contract in 2023. It's a fairly team-friendly contract, and with how he has performed while healthy since 2023, the trade demand should have been high. This season was the first time there had been true rumors saying that the Reds were listening to trade offers for the 27-year-old. He's making just eight million this season. That number climbs to $15.3 million next season, $16.3 million in 2028, and a $21 million club option in 2029.

This makes me question if teams maybe noticed his performance over his last three starts and had questions about his health, given that he had already undergone a procedure earlier this year.

Even if a trade had been completed, it's unlikely Greene would have passed his physical.

The Reds have been playing well since the All-Star break. They have won five out of their last six series, four games in a row, and are fresh off of a sweep of the Athletics to end their previous homestand. They're 56-58 and have moved out of last place in the National League Central. Now just four games out of the final Wild Card spot, their playoff dream just became even harder than it already was.

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