While Reds pitcher Hunter Greene wasn't having the 2026 he hoped for amid an already-injury-plagued season, it got even worse this month for the hard-throwing righty.
And now, the Reds are going to be without their ace for the foreseeable future.
Greene went for an MRI in early August after he felt elbow soreness during his bullpen sessions between starts. Greene had only made five appearances this season, and the MRI came back with the worst-case scenario for the 27-year-old.
He suffered a torn UCL and needed Tommy John surgery for a second time. He first had the procedure as a minor leaguer in 2019.
When will Greene return to baseball?
According to MLB.com, Greene underwent Tommy John surgery on Wednesday and was placed on the 60-day IL.
Tommy John surgery can have a large variance in recovery time, but the Reds expect Greene to be out anywhere between 12 and 18 months. He is obviously done for the remainder of the 2026 season and could miss most — if not all — of the 2027 season.
Hunter Greene update: Reds All-Star required a second Tommy John surgery yesterday. 12-18 months.
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubMLB) August 13, 2026
To miss all of next year.
Greene is still under Reds control for the 2028 season and has a club option for 2029. But his future with Cincinnati will be entirely dependent on how he performs post-recovery.
It'll be a long road back for Greene. That's for sure.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Hunter Greene injury update: When will the Reds ace be back?