The Reds have a question to answer.
The Cincinnati Reds entered spring training with lofty expectations for the 2026 MLB season. The recent news of Hunter Greene's injury -- he is not expected to return until July -- has led to uncertainty about the team's outlook, however. With that being said, the Reds now have one question to answer.
Cincinnati still has an optimistic 2026 outlook. The lineup received a boost with the offseason Eugenio Suarez signing. Elly De La Cruz has performed well and could take a step forward in 2026. Sal Stewart is expected to be a Rookie of the Year candidate.
With Greene out, though, will the Reds be able to pitch at a high enough level to find consistent success?
Reds' Starting Pitching Outlook
Replacing an ace who pitched to a 2.75 ERA in 2024 and 2.76 ERA in 2025 was never going to be an easy task. Andrew Abbott is now going to start Opening Day, with Nick Lodolo and Brady Singer to follow.
The Reds are also expected to have Chase Burns, Rhett Lowder and Brandon Williamson all make the Opening Day roster. It remains to be seen if they will implement a five-man rotation and have one of them pitch out of the bullpen or if a six-man rotation will be used.
Regardless, the ball club still has pitching depth. The starting pitching is still a strength, but without Greene one has to wonder if Cincinnati will pitch well enough to contend during the season.
All the pitching needs to do is stay afloat until July. The Reds are hoping to have Greene return during the summer. Assuming no setbacks occur, he should be able to lead the way down the stretch ahead of the postseason.
If the pitching fails to perform, though, the Reds could find themselves out of playoff contention by July. The offense has too many question marks to lead the way. Cincinnati's starters must get the job done.
The Reds are certainly facing a pressing question ahead of Opening Day. The question, in all reality, will not be truly answered until Greene returns from injury. If the pitching staff steps up and keeps the team in contention, then the question will be properly addressed.
Only time will tell if that will come to fruition, however. At the moment, the Reds are focused on ending spring training on a positive note with Opening Day right around the corner.