Hunter Greene Undergoes Second Tommy John Surgery
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The Cincinnati Reds ace will miss the rest of the 2026 season and the entirety of 2027.
The Cincinnati Reds announced Thursday that pitcher Hunter Greene has undergone Tommy John surgery for the second time, as CBS Sports first reported via the Cincinnati Enquirer. The 27-year-old will be sidelined for the remainder of the 2026 campaign and the full 2027 season, CBS Sports reports.
Greene, a former No. 2 overall draft pick in 2017, struggled with elbow issues early in the current season, delaying his first start until July. In five starts during 2026, he posted a 6.83 ERA, recording 33 strikeouts and nine walks over 27 ⅔ innings, per CBS Sports.
The injury comes after a period of high performance for the right-hander. CBS Sports notes that Greene earned his first All-Star selection in 2024 and finished eighth in the National League Cy Young voting that same year. Between 2024 and 2024, he maintained a 2.76 ERA over 45 starts. Over five MLB seasons, Greene has accumulated 650 strikeouts in 523 ⅓ innings, with a career WAR of 12.8 and an ERA+ of 117.
Greene previously underwent his first Tommy John procedure in 2019 before debuting in the majors in 2022. In April 2023, he signed a six-year, $53 million extension with the Reds that runs through 2028, featuring a club option for 2029. CBS Sports reports the deal is backloaded, meaning Greene is still due nearly $34 million in addition to the remaining part of his $8.33 million salary for 2026.
The loss is a blow to a Reds team currently sitting in fourth place in the National League Central with a 57-62 record. According to CBS Sports, Cincinnati has a -78 run differential, the worst mark in the National League behind only the Rockies.