Cincinnati Reds pitcher Hunter Greene is expected to miss the first four months of the season after needing surgery on his right elbow, the team announced.
Cincinnati says Greene has bone chips and loose bodies in his elbow, confirmed by an MRI after he left spring training with elbow stiffness.
‘I felt no discomfort a few days later, and as I started my offseason throwing program, I felt great,’ Greene said on social media. ‘However, the pain returned as I got close to the start of camp and as I began throwing harder and manipulating pitches more. The irritation in my elbow is affecting my ability to finish and execute pitches without a sharp stabbing pain. I simply need to have the bone spurs removed.
‘All I want to do is play the game I love and compete with my brothers as we take on the 2026 season. But it’s important that this procedure take place now instead of trying to pitch through it, not be sharp on the mound and risk further injury. Trust me, nobody is more frustrated than I am.’
In 19 starts last season, Greene went 7-4 with a 2.76 ERA as the Reds broke a five-year playoff drought by earning a wild-card spot.
The injury is a big loss for Cincinnati, as the 26-year-old Greene has been one of the game’s fireballers, averaging nearly 100 mph on his four-seam fastball velocity. He had 296 pitches that clocked in at 100 mph or higher in 2025.