Hunter Greene's return might be the only thing saving Reds from what’s coming next

Hunter Greene was activated from the injured list ahead of the Cincinnati Reds clash with the Chicago Cubs. Greene will return to the mound for the first time since May 7. He suffered a groin injury during his last start and exited during the fourth inning.

Greene has been Cincinnati's best starting pitcher this season, and they'll need him to return to form rather quickly. The soft part of their schedule is in the rearview mirror, and the Reds now face a gauntlet of winning ball clubs over the next several weeks.

Outside of the Milwaukee Brewers — who are just one game below .500 entering play on Friday — Cincinnati will not face a team with a losing record until June 30 in Boston. Tonight's three-game series against the Cubs kickstarts a month-long stretch that could ultimately define the Reds' season.

Hunter Greene's returns from the IL, but the Reds face a brutal schedule from here on out

The Cubs lead the NL Central at the moment, and present Greene the Reds' pitching staff with a formidable foe. Led by Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker, the Chicago lineup are among the top 5 in MLB in batting average, OPS, and home runs. Winning the upcoming series against the North Siders will not be easy.

After that, Cincinnati heads on the road to play Jonathan India and the Kansas City Royals before heading to the Windy City for three more against the Cubbies. The Reds get a warm welcome back at Great American Ball Park in the form of the Brewers — a team who's dominated Cincinnati of late. After that, the Arizona Diamondbacks come to town.

A road trip to Cleveland and Detroit will pit Cincinnati against the AL Central's best in the the Guardians and Tigers. The Reds then return home to face the red-hot Minnesota Twins before playing three at Busch Stadium against the surprising St. Louis Cardinals. The Reds close out the month of June with visits from the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres before finally heading to Fenway Park to play the Boston Red Sox (the only team on the Reds schedule with a losing record other than that Brewers).

Not only will Greene need to be on top of his game, but so will the other Reds' starters. The trio of Nick Lodolo, Nick Martinez, and Andrew Abbott have been fantastic of late. Brady Singer has struggled, but has still been equipped to take the ball every fifth day and give the Reds a chance to win. More than the rotation, the Reds' lineup will have to find a catalyst in the coming weeks. Cincinnati's bats have been ice-cold, and the Reds have lost too many series against teams they should have defeated.

The Reds already optioned Lyon Richardson to Triple-A Louisville after Wednesday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in order to make room for Greene on the active roster.

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