Are the Cincinnati Reds considering trading Hunter Greene this offseason? According to at least two Reds beat writers, it’s a real possibility. Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer has been floating the idea since midseason, and now MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon has added his voice to the discussion.
In a recent article for MLB.com titled Five Questions Facing the Reds This Offseason, one of the topics Sheldon raised was whether the team might trade Greene this winter. When asked about that possibility, Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall responded, “I don’t want to speculate on anybody that’s going to get traded or not get traded at this point.”
Of course, Krall isn’t about to tip his hand publicly, especially this early in the offseason. Still, when someone suggests trading your ace, most executives would usually respond with something closer to, “Are you kidding me?”
Reds Rumors: Is Hunter Greene on the trade block this offseason?
Sheldon is typically well-connected with the Reds’ front office and has a good sense of how Nick Krall and his staff plan to execute their strategies. Before this summer’s MLB trade deadline, he was one of the only reporters to float the idea of Cincinnati targeting Pirates third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes — and sure enough, less than a day later, Hayes was headed to the Reds.
At first glance, the notion of trading Hunter Greene seems odd. The right-hander is one of the better starters in baseball and is signed through 2029 on a team-friendly deal. He’s the kind of player small-market teams like Cincinnati usually hold onto as long as possible.
That said, Greene isn’t without concerns. His struggles to stay healthy have frustrated parts of the fanbase, and it’s fair to wonder if those frustrations extend to the front office. While his contract is a bargain, it loses value if he continues to spend significant time on the injured list.
If the Reds were to seriously explore trading Greene this winter, the return would have to be massive. Quality starting pitching is always in demand, and a pitcher of Greene’s caliber on a cost-controlled deal would attract interest from nearly every general manager in the league.
Any potential trade package would also need to feature players capable of contributing by 2026 — not years down the line. Cincinnati’s front office often focuses on the long term, stockpiling prospects rather than acquiring established major leaguers. But a Greene trade would need to be a “win-now” move.
The offseason hasn’t even started yet, but the Reds rumor mill is already churning. If Cincinnati wants to get back to the postseason and make a real run in October, it might take a bold move like this to make it happen. Stay tuned, Reds fans.
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