Cincinnati Reds starter Hunter Greene is set for an MRI on his right elbow due to reported stiffness, as confirmed by manager Terry Francona on Wednesday (March 4). The discomfort surfaced earlier this week, with Greene waking up with it on Tuesday, leading the team to schedule the imaging for Friday.
Notably, he will be evaluated by the Reds’ team physician, Dr. Timothy Kremcheck, and is also seeking a second opinion from Dr Neal ElAttrache, the orthopedic surgeon who performed Greene’s Tommy John surgery back in 2019.
Cautious approach amid discomfort
“We need to get this,” Francona said. “You know, you are asking the guy to go out there and throw as hard as he can. We need to make sure he is OK.”
Francona added that Greene is “not recovering the way, I think, he’s comfortable with,” though the exact timing of any problem remains unclear. The decision to proceed carefully came after Greene opted out of his scheduled throwing session due to the stiffness.
Limited spring action and injury history
Hunter Greene has appeared in just one Spring Training inning so far, surrendering four runs to the Brewers on Saturday without recording a strikeout and issuing one walk. His velocity and electric stuff remain a key part of the Reds’ rotation hopes, but durability has been an ongoing challenge.
The former top prospect has battled injuries throughout his young career. After Tommy John surgery in 2019, he dealt with a shoulder strain in his 2022 debut season, right hip pain that sidelined him for two months in 2023, a bruised elbow in 2024, and multiple right groin strains that limited him to 107 2/3 innings in 2025.
Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall echoed the careful stance. “I don’t want to speculate, it’s too soon,” Krall said. “We’re going to just get it taken care of.”
Rotation competition heats up
With Greene sidelined for evaluation, several pitchers in camp are competing for rotation spots. Prospects like Rhett Lowder, Chase Burns, Julian Aguiar, and Brandon Williamson are pushing hard, giving the Reds depth as they monitor their ace closely.
The team remains optimistic that this is a minor issue, but the MRI results will be crucial. For now, all eyes are on Friday’s imaging and Tuesday’s expected update.
