The Cincinnati Reds are heading toward a trade deadline that could force some uncomfortable choices, but one name that keeps surfacing would be a brutal one to move: Hunter Greene.
Greene has been part of the rumor mill all season, and the logic is easy to see. When he’s right, he’s one of the best pitchers in baseball.
The problem is that his season hasn’t been clean. He missed the first half with an injury and has had some uneven stretches since coming back, which has naturally complicated his trade value.
That’s why Jim Bowden of The Athletic floated the San Diego Padres as a possible landing spot if Cincinnati decides to deal him. In Bowden’s view, Greene would fit what San Diego needs on the mound.
"The Padres should probably be shopping both Mason Miller and Michael King to help rebuild the organization for the future. However, if they decide to buy, then I think their best trade target will be Greene," Bowden wrote. "They need a long-term ace to lead their pitching staff and he can be just that.
"The Reds need to get younger and cheaper and perhaps the Padres should unload more of their farm system to land the young ace, especially if they’re OK with his medicals. Greene just came off the IL and has made only three starts this year, but he looks healthy. He’s signed at a reasonable $53 million over six years that runs through 2028 with a team option for 2029."
On paper, it’s a clean fit for San Diego. Greene gives them a frontline starter with control that could stretch through 2029, and at his best he looks every bit like the kind of arm a contender wants anchoring a staff.
For Cincinnati, though, the case for moving him just doesn’t hold up.
The Reds recently gave Chase Burns a new seven-year contract, and Greene is still on a very affordable deal for three more seasons. That gives Cincinnati two of the best pitchers in the league at the top of the rotation, and breaking that up would be hard to justify.
There’s also the matter of timing. Greene’s rougher outings since returning from the injured list have knocked his value down a bit.
If he were on an expiring contract or coming off the best stretch of his career, the conversation might look different. Right now, it doesn’t.
Trading him would be the kind of move that makes the Reds worse for no good reason.
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