Cincinnati Reds right-hander Hunter Greene faces a long road back after undergoing a second Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. The procedure, performed on Wednesday, is expected to sideline the 27-year-old for 12 to 18 months.
That timeline means Greene will almost certainly miss the entire 2027 season.
The news marks another tough chapter in a career already marked by arm problems. Greene, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft, first had Tommy John surgery while in the minor leagues in 2019. He returned to make his major league debut in 2022 and later signed a six-year, $53 million contract extension that runs through 2028, with a $21 million club option for 2029.
Recent elbow troubles limited 2026 season
This latest setback followed a difficult 2026 campaign. Hunter Greene had bone chips removed from the same elbow during spring training. He did not make his first start until early July and appeared in just five games. In those outings, he posted a 6.83 ERA across 27 2/3 innings, though he still struck out 33 batters.
Earlier this month, the Reds placed him on the injured list after he reported elbow soreness during a bullpen session. Team president of baseball operations Nick Krall explained the situation at the time.
“He said he was sore off and on for a couple of weeks,” Krall told reporters. “At the same time, it wasn’t something he brought to anyone’s attention because he thought it was just, ‘Hey, you’re coming off the bone chip surgery. You’re just going to push through it.'”
Manager Terry Francona added that Greene believed he was simply dealing with normal recovery aches. Doctors later found the ulnar collateral ligament was failing, leading to the full revision surgery.
Impact on the Cincinnati Reds rotation and payroll
The loss hits the Cincinnati Reds hard. Between 2024 and 2025, Hunter Greene had established himself as a rotation cornerstone with a 2.76 ERA across 45 starts. He was viewed as a key piece of Cincinnati’s young core.
Young right-hander Chase Burns has stepped into the role of staff ace this season. Talented left-hander Andrew Abbott remains another strong option. Still, the absence of Greene creates a noticeable gap in both talent and experience.
From a financial standpoint, the situation is also challenging. Greene is scheduled to earn about $15 million in 2027 while contributing little or nothing on the field. For a franchise that operates with a relatively modest payroll, that money tied up in a non-playing player carries extra weight.
Looking ahead to recovery
Second Tommy John surgeries often require longer recovery periods and come with more uncertainty than the first procedure. Hunter Greene will turn 28 before he is expected to return to a major league mound. If the 12-to-18-month timeline holds, his next meaningful pitches are unlikely to come before 2028 spring training at the earliest.
Greene has shown the ability to bounce back before. After his first elbow reconstruction, he developed into one of the harder-throwing starters in the National League and earned an All-Star nod in 2024. The Reds and Greene will now hope for another successful recovery, even as the club plans next season without him.
The organization learned the exact nature of the surgery only shortly before it took place. What began as concern over a partial tear ultimately required a full ligament replacement.