The Cincinnati Reds might have to be patient a little longer when it comes to getting Hunter Greene back on the field.
Greene was scratched from his scheduled rehab start for Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday due to renewed soreness in his right groin, according to Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now.
Per Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the right-hander has since undergone an MRI to assess the issue further.
Greene, 25, has been sidelined since June 4 with a Grade 1 right groin strain and also received an epidural to treat back discomfort. Before the injury, he was one of the top pitchers in the league, posting a 2.72 ERA across 11 starts with 73 strikeouts over 59.2 innings.
According to Charlie Goldsmith, Greene has labeled himself “day-to-day,” but the Reds are awaiting the results of his MRI before determining a clearer timeline for his return.
Hunter Greene Has Dealt With Numerous Injuries
Hunter Greene made major strides in 2024, showcasing his elite velocity and refining his command. Able to hit triple digits with his fastball, the right-hander posted a career-best 2.75 ERA over 26 starts, racking up 169 strikeouts across 150.1 innings. His breakout season earned him his first All-Star nod and an eighth-place finish in the NL Cy Young race.
However, durability continued to be a concern. Greene missed over a month last year due to right elbow soreness and began the 2025 campaign on a similarly frustrating note. After initially missing 13 games with a right groin strain from May 8–23, his latest setback could further delay a promising season that has yet to fully take shape.
Hunter Greene made three starts after initially returning from the injured list, but was sidelined again following his June 3 outing against the Milwaukee Brewers, where he exited after five innings due to recurring groin soreness.
He had been slated to pitch Tuesday for Triple-A Louisville, a key step toward rejoining the Reds’ rotation—potentially as soon as Sunday’s game against the Colorado Rockies, their final matchup before the All-Star break. Now, the Reds are left hoping that this latest setback is minor and won’t derail Greene’s timeline much further.
How Have the Reds Fared this Season?
The Cincinnati Reds began their three-game set against the Miami Marlins on Monday with a 46–44 record, sitting 8.0 games back in the NL Central race.
In Hunter Greene’s absence, left-hander Andrew Abbott has emerged as a key contributor, posting a 7–1 record with an impressive 2.15 ERA over 15 starts. Fellow southpaw Nick Lodolo has also been a steady presence in the rotation, carrying a 3.58 ERA.
Reds manager Terry Francona told NBC 5 Cincinnati’s Charlie Clifford that Greene’s MRI was performed “out of an abundance of caution,” emphasizing that the team has no intention of rushing their star pitcher back before he’s fully ready.
Hunter Greene, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, signed a six-year, \$53 million contract extension with the Cincinnati Reds in 2023. The deal signaled the team’s long-term commitment to Greene as a foundational piece of their rotation and one of the faces of the franchise.
