The Cincinnati Reds ace had some strong words for those who doubted his commitment to the team during his time on the injured list.
Cincinnati Reds fans and media members got a chance to hear exactly how Hunter Greene felt about criticism he received during his injury-plagued 2025 season, and he did not hold back.
In a 90-minute conversation with Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the 26-year-old right-hander opened up about criticism suggesting he took too long to return from his groin injury.
"There were some people and chatter about questioning my timing of coming back," Greene said. "You know, like it took longer than it should have been. The idea that I was milking it, or taking a longer time, or the idea of not wanting to be with the team. That was so disrespectful, so disingenuous to me."
The Injury That Derailed His Season
Greene was having one of the best starts to a season in recent memory when everything changed.
He went 4-2 with a 2.36 ERA through his first eight starts and was in the early Cy Young Award conversation before he strained his right groin on May 7 against the Atlanta Braves.
He returned after 15 days but the injury flared up again just three starts later, and this time he missed over two and a half months dealing with complications that extended to his lower back and hip.
The idea that Greene would want to stay away makes no sense when you look at his contract, which includes a $2 million bonus for winning the Cy Young.
What Greene Means to the Reds in 2026
Even with the time missed, Greene put together one of the best seasons by a Reds pitcher in years.
He finished 2025 with a 7-4 record and a 2.76 ERA across 19 starts, striking out 132 batters in 107.2 innings while posting a 0.938 WHIP.
Those numbers are impressive when you consider he missed nearly half the season.
The Reds went 83-79 in 2025 and sneaked into the playoffs as the sixth seed in the National League before being swept by the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
Cincinnati's rotation features Greene alongside Andrew Abbott, Brady Singer, Nick Lodolo, and Chase Burns, but Greene is clearly the ace the team needs healthy if they want to take the next step.
Greene made it clear he has no desire to be traded and remains committed to bringing a winning culture back to Cincinnati.
If he stays healthy and pitches a full season like he showed he can early in 2025, the Reds could be a real threat in the NL Central.