Amid trade speculation, Greene silences rumors with a bold message to fans.
Cincinnati Reds ace Hunter Greene has had a lot to deal with this offseason, and he's finally speaking out to the fans who have stood by him through all of it.
After months of trade rumors and questions about his health, Greene took to Instagram with a simple but clear message: "And now, back to our regular scheduled programming."
The post comes at a time when Greene's name has been thrown around in trade talks more than ever, even though the Reds have said they have no plans to move him.
It feels like Greene is telling everyone that he's done listening to the noise and is ready to get back to what he does best, which is pitching at the top of the Reds rotation.
A Season of Ups and Downs#
Greene's 2025 campaign was a tale of two halves, and the numbers tell the story of what could have been.
The right-hander posted a 2.76 ERA with 132 strikeouts in just 107.2 innings, which shows how good he was when healthy.
He added a 0.938 WHIP and finished the year with a 7-4 record, all while dealing with a groin injury that kept him out for about two months.
Greene started the season on fire and was in the early Cy Young conversation before the injury hit.
He went just 4-2 with a 2.36 ERA through his first eight starts, and his fastball was touching 100 mph on a regular basis.
But then the groin strain came, and it forced him to miss a big chunk of the middle of the season while the Reds were trying to fight their way into the playoff race.
When Greene came back in August, he was sharp again, going 3-1 with a 2.81 ERA in his final eight starts of the year and even throwing a one-hit shutout against the Cubs in September.
The problem was that he only made 19 starts all year, which was the fewest of his career and left some wondering if he can stay healthy for a full season.
The Reds Made the Playoffs#
Despite all the struggles with injuries and inconsistent play from the rest of the roster, the Reds finished the 2025 season with an 83-79 record and snuck into the playoffs as the third Wild Card team.
They got in on the final day when the Mets lost to the Marlins, ending a playoff drought that went back to the shortened 2020 season.
Cincinnati became just the third team since 2000 to make the playoffs with 83 or fewer wins, and they did it without a single hitter batting .270 or hitting 25 home runs.
It was a team effort that leaned heavily on the pitching staff, and Greene was a big part of that when he was on the mound.
The postseason did not go well for the Reds, as they were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Wild Card Series.
Greene got the start in Game 1 and gave up five runs in less than three innings, but that rough outing has not changed how the team feels about him going forward.
Looking Ahead to 2026#
Greene is now 26 years old and entering what should be the prime of his career.
He has 617 career strikeouts and 13.5 WAR through just four seasons in the big leagues, and his stuff remains some of the best in baseball with a fastball that sits in the upper 90s and a slider that makes hitters look silly.
The Reds have made it clear that they are building around Greene, and manager Terry Francona shut down the trade talk at the Winter Meetings by saying that the team cannot get pitchers like him on the free agent market.
Greene is under contract through 2029 at a very team-friendly number, which makes him one of the most valuable arms in the sport.
If Greene can stay healthy and make 30-plus starts in 2026, there is no reason he cannot be in the Cy Young conversation again.
His Instagram message to fans seems to say that he is ready to put all the drama behind him and prove that he is the ace the Reds believe him to be.
For a franchise that has not been to the World Series since 1990, having a healthy Hunter Greene at the top of the rotation gives them their best chance to get back there.