Hunter Greene’s return was supposed to steady the Cincinnati Reds. Instead, it may have pushed them closer to the trade deadline sell-off that was already waiting in the wings.
The right-hander came back on the Fourth of July with plenty of optimism around him. The idea was simple enough: Greene could work deep into games, ease pressure on a shaky bullpen, and help pull Cincinnati back into the race.
But against the Baltimore Orioles, none of that materialized. Greene lasted just 3 1/3 innings, giving up seven hits, four walks and eight earned runs while striking out seven.
After the Reds’ 8-5 loss, Greene didn’t dodge the issue. “I just didn't do a good job channeling the adrenaline. Just sitting in my position, I've got to be able to do that, and usually I'm pretty good at it, but [I] failed on the execution part of being able to stay channel that, stay within my body, stay within myself, and not trying to do too much.”
That explanation might have played in April. In July, with Cincinnati’s season hanging by a thread, it doesn’t change the larger picture.
The Reds did bounce back to win the series finale against Baltimore, but they still sit seven games out of the final NL wild card spot. The 14.5-game gap behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the division race looks even more daunting.
So the real question is no longer whether Cincinnati will sell. That part feels settled. The question is how hard the Reds are willing to go at the deadline.
A number of players on expiring deals figure to be moved by August 3, including Brady Singer, Eugenio Suarez, Brock Burke and Nathaniel Lowe. With so few teams completely buried in the standings, Cincinnati should have a market for those names even if some of the production has been uneven. In a seller’s market, the Reds ought to be able to land useful pieces back.
What happens beyond that tells the bigger story.
If the Reds limit themselves to the pending free agents, they can reset and try again in the offseason. But if the front office decides this group isn’t enough to matter in 2027 and beyond, the conversation gets a lot more aggressive. Nick Lodolo could become available, and his remaining team control would make him especially attractive to clubs looking for starting pitching.
The same logic would apply to Greene, even after a rough debut. His salary is set to jump from $8.33 million in 2026 to $15.33 million in 2027, which is a hefty number for Cincinnati. For another team, though, Greene could be a tempting buy: a potential ace for $31.66 million over the next two seasons, or $52.66 million if the 2029 club option is exercised.
And then there’s Elly De La Cruz, the move that would stop everyone in their tracks. He begins arbitration next season and is only going to get more expensive from there.
The Reds also haven’t locked him into a long-term extension, which only adds to the sense that his future in Cincinnati may not be settled. Trading him now would bring back the biggest possible haul.
That said, it still doesn’t sound likely. Nick Krall’s comments and the organization’s track record point toward a more measured approach, one built around moving the expiring veterans and stopping there. But that kind of middle ground leaves the Reds in a familiar spot: good enough to hover around contention, not good enough to make real noise.
And if the front office doesn’t follow a sell-off with a bigger investment later, Cincinnati risks running the same loop again.
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Reds Fans Can See Where This Former Core Piece Is Headed
Matt McLains season has reached the point where the Reds are making quieter but telling decisions around him. During a recent game against the Phillies, Terry Francona turned to Ivan Johnson in a late spot instead of sticking with McLain, another sign that Cincinnati is trying to squeeze more offense out of a lineup that has not gotten enough from one of its former core pieces.
McLain has already been moved down in the batting order, and the numbers have only deepened the concern about where this is headed. For a club that has fallen from a fast start into last place in the NL Central, every at-bat matters, and the Reds now have to weigh whether a reset is the best way to get McLain back on track before the seasons next roster decisions start to pile up. [Read more 🡒]
Francona Just Sent A Clear Message About Ellys Role
Terry Francona has made the early call on where Elly De La Cruz belongs, and for now it keeps the Reds most electric player right where he has been setting the tone. De La Cruz has been giving Cincinnati plenty to like at the top of the order, with a recent stretch that included hits, walks and stolen bases, the kind of production that can change the feel of an inning before the rest of the lineup even steps in.
Franconas stance matters because the Reds are still sorting out how best to maximize an offense that leans heavily on De La Cruz to spark it. The managers view is that moving him would not improve the lineup as a whole, which leaves Cincinnati with a clear message about how it plans to attack games for now and a strong hint about who it expects to carry the load when the bats get rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Fans Wont Believe Which Core Starter Just Entered Trade Buzz
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There are other names in the mix if the Reds decide to explore the market, and Nick Lodolo has quietly made himself harder to ignore with the way he has thrown the ball lately. Brady Singer also stands out as the cleaner deadline fit because of his contract situation, while the return of Hunter Greene has already tightened the rotation picture and pushed other arms into different roles. For Cincinnati, the real question is not whether it has pitching to talk about, but which arm it would be willing to move if the right deal comes along. [Read more 🡒]