3 teams dreaming of a Hunter Greene trade but can’t meet the Reds’ price

If the Cincinnati Reds truly intend to trade Hunter Greene this offseason — and at the moment there's little to suggest these rumors are anything other than mere speculation — there's sure to be no shortage of suitors. Greene is one of the top pitchers in baseball, and he's on an extremely affordable contract through the 2029 season.

The Reds have an abundance of starting pitching, but their lineup needs a boost. Most of the scuttlebutt surrounding these Reds rumors is centered around the notion that Cincinnati could trade Greene in order to bolster the lineup.

And while it's a good bet that every other organization is set to give Nick Krall a phone call once the offseason officially begins, it's doubtful that every inquiring GM has the type of trade assets available to pull off such a blockbuster. These three teams, though interested, are unlikely to be part of the Greene trade rumors this winter.

3 teams dreaming of a Hunter Greene trade but can’t meet the Reds’ price

Houston Astros

The Houston Astros have become accustomed to postseason play, but this season they fell short of the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The clock is ticking in H-Town, with aging stars like Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve, and Christian Walker all on the backside of their career.

With Framber Valdez hitting free agency, Houston needs another frontline starter to pair with Hunter Brown next season. Unfortunately for the Astros, they have one of the weakest farm systems in all of baseball, and their current roster doesn't offer much in the way of tradable assets. If Houston would like to part with Cam Smith, the Reds would surely listen, but the standout rookie is unlikely to be made available this offseason.

San Diego Padres

No team has risked more over the past few years than the San Diego Padres. A.J. Preller has sold the farm — literally — in order to create a contender in southern California. Nevertheless, San Diego almost always seems to come up a day late and a dollar short once the postseason begins.

The Friars are set to lose Dylan Cease to free agency this offseason, and though Joe Musgrove is likely to return in 2026, adding Greene to his stable of starters would be a dream come true for Preller. Unfortunately, San Diego unloaded so much of their top, young talent at the 2025 trade deadline that the cupboard is now bare. The Padres don't have the horses to get a deal done.

New York Mets

Starting pitching really let the New York Mets down in 2025, and they'd undoubtedly love to secure an ace like Greene heading into next season. The Mets were forced to turn to top prospect Nolan McLean down the stretch, while the likes of Sean Manaea, Griffin Canning, and Tylor Megill all failed to accumulate more than 16 starts last season.

Much like the Astros and Padres, however, the Mets don't have much in terms of tradable assets. If Cincinnati intends to trade Greene, they'll be looking for young, controllable players who are Major League-ready. That's not something that New York has at the moment.