Hunter Greene is nearly ready to return, Reds fans! While he hasn’t officially been activated from the injured list just yet, Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona sounded optimistic during an interview on MLB Network Radio, expressing confidence that Greene will be back on the mound later this week.
“Greene threw a bullpen session yesterday on the game mound and looked great,” Francona shared. “Assuming everything stays on track, he should be ready to pitch when we return home to face the Cubs, which is fantastic news for us.”
That would be a big boost. With Nick Lodolo, Nick Martinez, and Brady Singer lined up to start against the Pirates, a Friday return for Greene in the series opener against the Chicago Cubs would be perfectly timed. Francona could then roll out Andrew Abbott on Saturday and Lodolo on Sunday to wrap up a crucial division matchup.
Greene has been recovering from a minor groin injury suffered a few weeks ago. If he returns as expected, it will confirm early reports that the issue wasn’t serious. Before the injury, Greene was one of the league’s most dominant starters. So far this season, he holds a 4-2 record with an impressive 2.36 ERA, 61 strikeouts in 45 2/3 innings, and a stellar 0.810 WHIP.
In a tightly contested NL Central, the Reds will need Greene’s arm. They have two upcoming series against the division-leading Cubs, who have become the team to beat. Cincinnati currently sits at .500 behind both Chicago and St. Louis, but they’ve built momentum with a league-best four-game win streak heading into their series against the Pirates.
