Hunter Greene could finally solve the Reds problem nobody can ignore

Hunter Greene is on the comeback trail, and that's obviously good news for the Cincinnati Reds. Pairing him with Chase Burns atop the rotation will be thrilling. Brady Singer is rounding into form (finally), and if Nick Lodolo can get his act together, the Reds' starters might finally resemble what the club had hoped entering 2026.

The boost to the rotation is one thing, but there's another way that Greene can potentially help Cincinnati. The bullpen has been a massive issue for all but the first couple of weeks of the season, and having another frontline starter in the rotation will lessen how much Terry Francona and the team will need to lean on the relief corps.

Injuries have played a role, with the likes of Emilio Pagàn and Graham Ashcraft landing on the IL. That's led to increased pressure on the couple of effective relief arms the Reds have at their disposal.

Brock Burke is tied for the third most appearances this season, while Sam Moll is tied for fifth. Overuse will have negative effects on this pair of southpaws who have become standouts in a sea of disappointments.

Making matters worse, the Cincinnati 'pen has the second-most appearances in baseball. A big reason why has been the starters' failure to go deep into games, necessitating the need for multiple relievers to be used each game, which is then compounded by the number of arsonists that reside out there.

Greene soaking up some more innings will have an outsized impact on resting the bullpen. That should help shield the few relievers who are performing from burnout, while potentially providing a boost to some of the struggling relief pitchers.

Hunter Greene will help save the Reds bullpen from overuse

Cincinnati's struggles have the team feeling as if it's in limbo, unsure of whether it will buy or sell by the August 3 deadline. Still, a glut of mediocre teams has the Reds in the thick of the playoff hunt. If they decide to go for it, they can't rely solely on the complementary boost that Greene's return will give to the bullpen.

The Reds have several problems that need to be fixed, but the bullpen is chief among them. Not one, but multiple high-leverage relievers will be necessary.

The big question might not be whether or not the Reds can get healthy or not in time, or even if they should buy or sell. Instead, the biggest issue facing the franchise might be whether or not they can afford to buy everything they need.

With so many teams bunched up in the middle, there's a chance that there are far more buyers than sellers come deadline time. If that happens, choices will be limited, and prices will be sky-high. Cincinnati's tight budget also adds another layer of complexity as it can't necessarily absorb a large contract to save on prospect capital.

The next few weeks will be crucial. Greene will be back soon. These developments will help provide clarity. From there, it will be up to Nick Krall to wheel and deal should the situation present itself. With that, the bullpen needs to be the prime focus.

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