Hunter Greene Faces Major Setback After Surgery

Hunter Greene has recently celebrated his 27th birthday, but unfortunately, he is facing another difficult chapter in his career after undergoing two Tommy John surgeries.

Multiple sources indicate that the Cincinnati Reds pitcher will require additional surgery, which could potentially keep him sidelined for the rest of the 2026 season and even all of 2027.

This isn’t Greene’s first run with surgery; he went under the knife back in 2019.

While it’s already known that Greene’s season is over, the confirmation of needing another Tommy John surgery comes as a tough blow for both him and the team. “It was a torn ligament,” said Nick Krall, the Reds’ director of baseball operations. “There’s going to be some work done around the ligament. We won’t know what we’re dealing with until we’re in the operating room.”

Selected as the No. 2 pick in the 2017 MLB draft, Greene has struggled with injuries throughout his career, starting only 96 games over five seasons. Last year, he pitched just 19 times due to injury, and this year he managed only five starts after starting the season on the disabled list due to arthroscopic surgery that removed bone chips from his right elbow.

During this challenging time, Greene tried to push through what he initially thought was post-surgery discomfort, but ultimately, his 6.83 ERA unveiled deeper issues.

If things don’t improve, it’s possible he might not return to the field until 2028. This presents a mixed bag of outcomes—while some like Jacob deGrom have found success after similar surgeries, others, like Walker Buehler, have struggled to bounce back.

For the Reds, Greene’s absence is quite the hurdle, as the team traditionally opts against splurging on high-profile talents. Historically, their most valuable contracts have been the four-year, $64 million deals for both Mike Moustakas and Nick Castellanos. They also attempted to bring in local favorite Kyle Schwarber recently, but he ultimately returned to the Phillies.

The Reds had hoped Greene and Chase Burns would form the core of their pitching rotation. But now, it looks like the weight will fall on Burns for the foreseeable future.

Burns has already signed a $105 million extension, while Greene is midway through a six-year, $53 million contract. With surgery looming, Greene might find himself pondering a lot of “what ifs” before he leaves Cincinnati, especially given his status as a former top draft pick.