The Reds are staring at an uncomfortable truth with Hunter Greene: the timing has turned against them.
Not long ago, Cincinnati had every reason to listen closely if teams came calling. Greene was 26, carrying three years plus a club option on a team-friendly deal, and coming off a two-season run in which he posted a 2.76 ERA over 258 innings.
Even at the trade deadline this year, when he returned in July and wasn’t at his sharpest, the combination of health and strikeout stuff - 33 punchouts in 27⅔ innings - still gave him real market value. Reports said the interest was there.
The Reds still chose to keep him.
Now the picture looks very different. Greene has undergone Tommy John surgery and is expected to miss the entire 2027 season.
When he finally comes back, he’ll be entering the final guaranteed year of his contract, with $16.3 million owed and a $21 million club option for 2029 if that option is exercised. Whatever return Cincinnati could have landed before is gone, and it’s not coming back.
That’s what makes the conversation so strange. If the Reds passed when Greene’s value was at its highest, why would they trade him now, when they’d be selling low?
Because this isn’t really about maximizing the return on Greene. It’s about whether Cincinnati wants to chase its best shot at contending while Elly De La Cruz is still under team control.
De La Cruz has three more years before free agency, and his price tag is only going to rise from there. If the Reds want to make a real postseason push while he’s still in the building, next season may be the moment. Moving Greene’s $15.3 million salary could free up money for MLB-ready help, and that kind of flexibility could matter a lot for a roster that needs more support around De La Cruz.
In a perfect world, the Reds would have the money to hold Greene through the injury and wait for 2028. But that’s not the world they’re operating in. The $15 million tied up in Greene could be used to strengthen the roster now, and MLB Trade Rumors already had him among its top trade candidates this offseason.
A deal still feels unlikely while he’s recovering. But if Cincinnati is serious about squeezing every possible chance out of the De La Cruz window, keeping Greene may be the harder path to justify.
In Other News...
Reds May Have Found An Affordable Rotation Answer Fans Will Debate
The Reds are heading into an offseason where the rotation still needs some sorting out, with Chase Burns, Andrew Abbott and Nick Lodolo the only arms viewed as sure things right now. That has naturally pushed the front office toward the market for help, and one name that fits the kind of practical, budget-conscious search Cincinnati may have to make is David Peterson, the left-hander who is set to reach free agency after a strong stretch with the Cubs.
Peterson is the sort of mid-rotation option that can make sense on paper because his profile lines up with what the Reds often need from a starter at Great American Ball Park. He also comes with a recent step forward that makes him more than just a depth flier, which is why he is likely to draw real consideration as Cincinnati weighs how aggressive to be in filling out the staff around its young core. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Could Get Pushed Out Of A Crucial Outfield Chase
The Reds have been looking for help in the outfield, and Jarren Duran has emerged as the kind of offseason target that would fit the conversation. Boston is reportedly weighing whether to move the outfielder, which has put Cincinnati in the mix as a potential landing spot for a club that could use another impact bat and some lineup flexibility. For a Reds team trying to sharpen its roster around the edges, Duran is the sort of name that naturally draws attention.
But Cincinnati is unlikely to have a clear path if the market heats up the way it appears it might. San Diego has been tied to Duran as well, and the Red Sox also have their own angle in any broader talks because of their interest in Elly De La Cruz. That gives this chase a layered feel, with the Reds needing the right deal structure and the right timing if they want to stay in position as the offseason unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Face A Big Tyler Stephenson Decision This Offseason
The Reds have a few offseason questions to sort through, but Tyler Stephenson sits near the top of the list. The veteran catcher is headed for free agency, and there is a growing sense around the club that his steady production and familiarity with the pitching staff make him a logical candidate to stay in Cincinnati.
Sports Illustrateds analysts expect the sides to find common ground on a short-term deal, which would keep the catching situation stable for at least another season. For the Reds, the appeal goes beyond the present tense, since Stephensons presence would help bridge the gap while the organization waits for its next wave of talent behind the plate to develop. [Read more 🡒]