Reds fans blindsided by Hunter Greene elbow troubles as status hangs in the balance

The latest news from Goodyear is not good. Cincinnati Reds pitcher Hunter Greene will be shut down for at least a week while he's dealing with discomfort in his right elbow. This is the last thing Reds fans wanted to hear with Opening Day less than a month away.

On a positive note, according to Greene, the injury is something he dealt with at the end of last season and there's no UCL damage. When asked whether or not he'd be ready for Opening Day, Greene said, "I don’t know. I’m not sure."

Reds ace Hunter Greene may miss his Opening Day start

Obviously this is less than ideal. Greene is the unquestioned ace of the staff, and many Reds fans assumed he'd be in the mix for the NL Cy Young Award this season. Thankfully, if there's one team in the league who can withstand such a blow to their starting staff, it's the Reds.

Cincinnati's currently watching two former first-round picks — Rhett Lowder and Chase Burns — battle it out for the final spot in the Reds starting rotation. If Greene were to miss any time, it would stand to reason that both pitchers are likely to make the Opening Day roster. Brandon Williamson is also waiting in the wings and has pitched well this spring.

This isn't the first time the injury-bug has bitten Greene. Frankly, durability been a topic of discussion ever since he suffered an elbow injury in the minors. Greene missed the entire 2019 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and the injuries have continued to haunt him since his big-league debut back in 2022.

Last season, Greene made just 19 starts after being shelved on separate occurances due to a hamstring injury. The fireballer has only eclipsed 150 innings pitched once during his four-year career, and many believe his lack of durability was a big reason for the drummed up trade chatter this past offseason.

Obviously Reds fans will know in the coming days. Greene is receiving a second opinion on his injury later this week, but it's beginning to sound more and more as if he won't be on the mound on Opening Day.