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Reds Activate Hunter Greene, Lose 3-0 to Orioles

7/5/2026

Summary

Greene Activated

The Cincinnati Reds activated right-hander Hunter Greene from the 60-day injured list for his debut against the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday.
Greene pitched 14.1 innings in three Triple-A rehab starts without allowing a run, including a 6 1/3-inning outing that retired the final 16 batters.
The Reds also optioned Chase Petty to Triple-A Louisville, designated Will Benson for assignment, and fell 3-0 to the Orioles, dropping to 40-47 after a June 9-17 stretch.

Summary

Greene Impresses

Greene’s fastball hit 101 mph in his final rehab start, 82 pitches over 6 1/3 innings.
Dave Francona said Francona will not limit Greene’s workload because Francona believes the 26-year-old is ready.
The Orioles will start Brandon Young, a pitcher with a 3.11 ERA who won three of his last five starts.
The Reds have hit .232 in their last ten games and .220 with runners in scoring position, the MLB worst.

Summary

Greene Returns

Hunter Greene will start Saturday night at Great American Ball Park against the Baltimore Orioles, returning after more than three months away for elbow surgery.
His comeback comes during a nine-game home-run stretch that leads into the All-Star break, a pivotal period for the Reds.
Greene said he is “really excited, ready to go” and wants to compete with his “brothers,” underscoring his clubhouse-leader role.

History

Historical Context

The New York Mets placed infielder Jeff Rivera on the 10-day disabled list on July 28, 2017 after a partial tear in his right ulnar collateral ligament, and he underwent Tommy John surgery later that year; his prolonged rehab and 2019 release highlight the challenges teams face when relying on the procedure, underscoring why recent rapid pitcher comebacks attract attention.

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Greene Activated

The Cincinnati Reds activated right-hander Hunter Greene from the 60-day injured list for his debut against the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday.
Greene pitched 14.1 innings in three Triple-A rehab starts without allowing a run, including a 6 1/3-inning outing that retired the final 16 batters.
The Reds also optioned Chase Petty to Triple-A Louisville, designated Will Benson for assignment, and fell 3-0 to the Orioles, dropping to 40-47 after a June 9-17 stretch.

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