While Hunter Greene hasn’t officially been activated from the injured list yet, Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona expressed strong optimism during an interview on MLB Network Radio that his star pitcher will return to the mound later this week.
“Greene threw a bullpen session yesterday on the game mound,” Francona shared. “He looked great, so we’re feeling good about lining him up once we’re back in Cincinnati. We’ve got the Cubs coming in, and he should be ready to go, which is great news.”
It certainly is. With Nick Lodolo, Nick Martinez, and Brady Singer set to pitch the next three games against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Greene’s return for Friday’s opener against the Chicago Cubs would be perfect timing. That would allow Francona to start Andrew Abbott on Saturday and bring Lodolo back for Sunday’s finale — a pivotal series for the Reds.
Terry Francona suggests that Hunter Greene could return in time for Reds-Cubs series this weekend
Greene sustained a groin injury a few weeks back, though it was initially believed to be relatively minor. If the Reds’ ace is able to return to the mound later this week, that assessment will be validated. Prior to the injury, Greene had been among the most dominant pitchers in the league, and fans are optimistic he can quickly regain that form.
So far this season, Greene holds a 4-2 record with an impressive 2.36 ERA. He’s racked up 61 strikeouts over 45 ⅔ innings and boasts a stellar 0.810 WHIP. Although durability has been an issue for him in recent seasons, returning for the upcoming series would mean he only missed three starts.
Cincinnati will need all the pitching depth it can muster as they prepare to face division rivals. Two of the Reds’ next four series are against the Cubs, so Greene could potentially face Chicago multiple times in the coming weeks.
The Cubs have emerged as the frontrunner in the NL Central this year. Meanwhile, the Reds sit at .500, trailing both the Cubs and the Cardinals in the standings. However, Cincinnati is riding a league-best four-game winning streak and will aim to keep the momentum going tonight in Pittsburgh against the Pirates.