Hunter Greene’s best trade fit would make Reds fans lose their minds

The Los Angeles Dodgers have a collection of top-flight pitchers with a history of injury. Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, even Shohei Ohtani have all been dogged by injuries and then rehabilitated in the Dodgers’ system. Unfortunately for Cincinnati Reds fans, this may make Los Angeles an ideal trade partner if a trade for Hunter Greene materializes.

Greene is unquestionably the Reds’ ace. Despite frequent injuries, he holds a career 3.65 ERA and ranks seventh in strikeouts per nine innings among starters with at least 100 innings pitched over the past four seasons. (Glasnow, Snell, and Ohtani all rank above him.) Greene’s fragility, though, has limited his time on the mound for Cincinnati. In 2025, he completed 107 ⅔ innings, the fewest in his career.

The best trade partner for Reds ace Hunter Greene might be the dominant Dodgers

The rumors of trading Greene has drawn criticism, but should the Reds engage the Dodgers in trade talks, Los Angeles would have a number of pieces that could entice Cincinnati. The Reds’ need for an outfield bat could bring Andy Pages’ name into the conversation. Additionally, the Dodgers have a ridiculously deep farm system, particularly in the outfield, so Cincy may aim for some prospects that are ready to make an impact at the big-league level.

A trade with the Dodgers would not come as a surprise given the Reds’ recent history. The clubs partnered for three exchanges, most notably the deal that brought Gavin Lux to Cincinnati, in 2025. Despite the Dodgers’ reputation for buying their way to success, about ⅓ of the team’s 40-man roster was acquired via trade. In fact, it’s a fairly even split between trades, free agent signings, and draftees.

Still, the small-market Reds’ fans won’t be too happy to see the team’s homegrown ace depart for the West Coast. Greene and the Reds both showed loyalty and hope for the future when they came to terms on a six-year extension. Greene set the standard for what fans hoped would be more extensions to come. If the Reds reverse course and help out the NL juggernaut, Cincinnati fans may revolt.

The Reds just suffered an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Dodgers. During the sweep, L.A.’s dominant pitching was on display as the Reds were held to just two earned runs by the Dodgers’ starters. All the hope generated by the miraculous playoff push would be completely dashed if the Reds send their star pitcher to the reigning NL champions.