Gut Punch in Cincy: Hunter Greene's Season Ends With Another Elbow Surgery
The Cincinnati Reds just caught an absolute gut punch. Ace Hunter Greene is done for the season, with the team announcing he'll undergo elbow surgery after suffering a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
Greene, 27, was placed on the injured list Wednesday after soreness flared up following his Tuesday side session. An MRI confirmed the worst-case scenario, and a trip to Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles sealed the deal: the ligament is failing, and the flamethrower is headed for another operation.
"They're going to go in there, find out what it is and go from there," Reds president of business operations Nick Krall said Friday. "The ligament was failing. It's going to be some sort of procedure around the ligament."
Another setback for a star who can't catch a break
This is the last thing Greene—or Reds fans—wanted to hear. He made just five starts this season, posting a 2-2 record with a 6.83 ERA after making his season debut on July 4. He started the year on the 60-day IL following surgery in March to remove bone chips from his right elbow, a procedure performed by ElAttrache.
It's been a brutal stretch of health issues for the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft. He's already been through Tommy John surgery back in 2018, missed time last season with a groin injury, sat out six weeks in 2024 with elbow soreness, and dealt with two hip-related IL stints in 2023. He's never made more than 26 starts in a season since debuting in 2022.
'I'm really glad we did' — Francona pushes Greene to get checked
Manager Terry Francona revealed he had to convince Greene to get the elbow looked at, and now he's relieved they did before things got even worse.
"He felt like he was working through aches and pains of coming back from the bone chips," Francona said. "The other day I grabbed him and said, 'Hey, I'd love for you to go out and pitch, but I wouldn't love for you to go out and pitch and worry.' I said, 'You're trying to throw the ball 100 miles per hour with breakoff sliders.' I said, 'In my opinion, it would be way easier to get you looked at instead of just hoping.' And I'm really glad we did because he didn't want to. I get that. He wanted to pitch."
That's the competitor in him. But throwing triple-digit heat with a failing UCL is playing with fire.
What's next for the Reds?
Greene signed a six-year, $53 million extension in April 2023 with a $21 million club option for 2029. He was reportedly drawing trade interest this summer, but the Reds kept him—hoping to pair him with All-Star right-hander Chase Burns at the top of the rotation. Now, they'll have to ride the rest of 2026 without their co-ace, with no immediate clarity on whether Greene will be ready for 2027. Krall isn't speculating, and neither should anyone else.
The road back is already familiar to Greene, but that doesn't make it any easier. Another surgery. Another rehab grind. Another season cut short. For a guy who just can't stay healthy, this one hits different.