Hunter Greene puts Reds reporter in his place after trade deadline pestering

Hunter Greene didn't have his best stuff on Friday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he still managed to go six innings and the Cincinnati Reds escaped with a come-from-behind victory, and now have a 9-5 record after the All-Star break. But rather than ask a question about the game itself, one Reds beat reporter just couldn't help himself.

The Cincinnati Enquirer's Gordon Wittenmyer — whose allegiances to another NL Central organization remain a point of contention among Reds fans — asked Greene about the rampant trade rumors with the deadline now less than three days away.

"We're insider of 70 hours until the trade deadline and there's a lot out there," Wittenmyer said as Greene chuckled. "Yeah, I know. But (there's) a lot with your name on it. Do you think there's a possibility this could've been your last start with this club?"

"No, Gordon," Greene responded. "I have nothing to say about that. You asked me that in Colorado and my answer stays the same. I have no control over any of this. I'm not on the business side."

Hunter Greene trade rumors haven't completely evaporated — but the narrative is tiresome

Greene's facial expression told the whole story. You could tell he was not only amused by the line of questioning, but also annoyed. Not so much because the question was asked, but because he's already answered these inquiries before.

Wittenmyer (and a few other local reporters) have been pushing this narrative of Greene being on the trade block for the better part of a year. Whether they have specific intel from within the organization or are just trying to create a story is debatable. But the idea of trading Greene — while not without merit — comes with an enormous risk.

Several national insiders have also linked Greene's name to trade rumors, with some reporting there's a 50% chance he's dealt before Monday, while others maintain he's not even available.

Greene is under contract through 2028 with a team-option for 2029. While his salary nearly doubles next season, $15 million is hardly a high price to pay for a player of Greene's caliber. When he's on the field — which is oftentimes the biggest sticking point — he's one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball.

The Reds have traded their so-called ace two times over the past 11 years. In 2015, Johnny Cueto was dealt to the Kansas City Royals, and in 2022, Luis Castillo was traded to the Seattle Mariners. In return, the Reds received John Lamb, Brandon Finnegan, Cody Reed, Noelvi Marte, Edwin Arroyo, Levi Stoudt, and Andrew Moore.

For those who want to see the Reds trade Hunter Greene, you might want to take long and hard look at the players Cincinnati received in return before planting your flag in that camp. Yikes!

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