Greene's lingering elbow discomfort triggers an MRI, casting doubt on the start to his season.
The Cincinnati Reds got some scary news out of camp on Wednesday when it was reported that ace Hunter Greene underwent an MRI on his pitching elbow, putting a cloud over what was supposed to be a big season for the right-hander.
Greene, who has been dealing with discomfort in his right elbow, told reporters via Charlie Goldsmith that there is no UCL damage at this time, which is about as good as the news could have been given the situation.
The 26-year-old said he first felt the discomfort toward the end of last season and pushed through it during the Reds' playoff run before receiving an injection in the offseason.
Greene Speaks on the Injury
Greene explained that the issue came back about a week before spring training started and that he has been trying to manage it through camp so far.
He has known about bone spurs in his elbow, and with the regular season still a few weeks away, the Reds decided now was the right time to get everything checked out rather than waiting any longer.
Greene will not throw until at least next Tuesday and is set to meet with team physician Dr. Timothy Kremchek this week before seeing arm specialist Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Monday to get a second opinion.
Reds manager Terry Francona addressed the situation and did not try to hide his concern about Greene's comfort level on the mound.
"He's just not recovering the way he's comfortable," Francona said. "The ball is coming out pretty good. You're asking a guy to go out there and throw as hard as he can. We need to make sure he's ok."
Greene made his only spring appearance last Saturday against the Brewers and gave up four earned runs on five hits in one inning of work while throwing 37 pitches.
The results were rough, but that is nothing new for Greene during spring training, as he has consistently struggled in February and March throughout his career before turning it on once the games start to count.
What This Could Mean for Cincinnati
The Reds went 83-79 last season and made the playoffs as the final National League Wild Card team before getting swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and they are currently 5-4 this spring as they try to take the next step.
Greene is the engine that makes everything go for this pitching staff, and losing him for any stretch of time would be a tough blow for a team that is counting on its rotation to carry the load in 2026.
He posted a 2.76 ERA with 132 strikeouts in 107.2 innings across 19 starts last season, but a groin injury limited him to just those 19 outings and kept him from building on his 2024 All-Star campaign.
Over his four big league seasons, Greene owns a 3.65 ERA with 617 strikeouts in 495.2 innings, and health has always been the one thing standing between him and true ace status.
The Reds have Andrew Abbott, Brady Singer, Nick Lodolo and a handful of young arms competing for the fifth spot, but none of them can replace what Greene brings to the top of the rotation every five days.
Cincinnati opens the regular season on March 26 against the Boston Red Sox, and right now, the biggest question in Reds camp is whether their best pitcher will be on the mound for it.