Cincinnati Reds Downplay Hunter Greene Trade Rumors

Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona has publicly downplayed the likelihood of trading star pitcher Hunter Greene, emphasizing that the team intends to retain key players as they focus on future development.

Speaking on the Baseball Isn't Boring podcast, Francona stated, 'I don't think those things are gonna happen... pitching is too hard for us to acquire through free agency... we gotta keep Hunter on the mound.' This sentiment echoes the stance of the Reds’ president of baseball operations, Nick Krall, who last month also dismissed the idea of moving players in the pitching rotation.

Greene has proven to be a pivotal part of the Reds' rotation, with the starting pitchers ranking sixth in the National League in ERA and third in strikeouts. Last season, despite battling groin injuries, Greene showcased dominance on the mound, setting career-best marks in xFIP at 3.27 and SIERA at 3.06, while achieving an average fastball velocity of 99.5 mph, a notable increase from the previous year.

Among pitchers who logged at least 100 innings, Greene ranked fourth in swinging-strike rate and sixth in K-BB percentage. Remarkably, he also posted a 68.6% strike rate and a career-low walk rate of 6.2%, indicating a significant improvement in his command.

This development allowed him to maintain a lower pitch count and pitch deeper into games, as evidenced by notching quality starts in 11 of his 19 outings last season compared to 13 in 26 appearances the year prior.

There is no questioning Greene's value on the market; he signed a six-year, $53 million extension in 2023, which includes a $21 million team option for 2029. The Reds can afford to keep Greene and their stable of controllable pitchers, including Andrew Abbott, Chase Burns, and Nick Lodolo, who won't hit free agency until 2028.

The organization seems poised to keep its core together, aiming for sustained competitiveness in the coming seasons. This clear stance from Francona and Krall indicates a commitment to building around Greene rather than trading him away, a decision that could significantly impact the team's future trajectory in the competitive landscape of Major League Baseball.