Hunter Greene Will Have Surgery On Wednesday

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Loose bodies in his right elbow will keep Reds ace Hunter Greene out until July.

Greene was examined in Los Angeles and by Dr. Timothy Kremchek and both concluded that arthroscopic surgery to be performed in Los Angeles by Dr. Neal ElAttrache was best.

Greene received a PRP hormone injection on October 28 and rest were prescribed but the condition didn't improve sufficiently enough for Greene to compete.

The 26-year old right hander the Reds first round pick in the 2017 draft showed signs of injury by his performance in his lone Cactus League outing against the Milwaukee Brewers on February 28.

He allowed four runs and got no one out in the first inning. Under spring training rules the Reds were allowed to take him out and put him back in for the second inning. His second inning was scoreless.

"We are hoping to have him back in 14-16 weeks or sometime around  July pitching in a Major League game," Nick Krall said. "It is definitely good news compared to what it could have been. The ligament is intact."

A repaired ligament would have kept him out for 16 months instead of 16 weeks. Greene had his ligament repaired in August 2018 and missed the entire 2019 season.

He returned in 2021 after Covid. Greene made his first big league start and appearance on April 10 in Atlanta, a 6-3 win. He pitched 7 1/3 innings of a combined no hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates with Art Warren. The Pirates scored the lone run in a 1-0 game without a hit.

The Reds have never had a full season out of Greene. He made a career-high 26 starts in 2024. He was 9-5 with a 2.75 ERA and 169 strikeouts, making the All-Star team.

"We are frustrated that he hasn't had a full season and he is probably frustrated too," Krall said. 

Greene pitched well last season. He made 19 starts and had a 2.76 ERA and 420 strikeouts in 107 2/3 innings. He had a strained groin that kept him out from June 4 to August 13. Greene pitched a complete game shutout against the Chicago Cubs on September 18.

Greene reported to pitching coach Derek Johnson a little soreness and made his last start on September 24. Greene started the first game of the National League Wild Card series against the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers on September 30. He gave up five earned runs on six hits, including three home runs in three innings.

"I know he told DJ that he felt it a little but he always told me he felt fine. We, the trainers and everybody would never send someone out there, that we didn't think should be out there, ever," Terry Francona said. "Plus I liked the way he was pitching. It is hard sometimes, if you sat everyone who had a little soreness, you wouldn't have a team but you can't look inside some one's body."

Greene consulted with Dr. ElAttrache and had a PRP hormone injection to treat the elbow on October 28.

"He said he felt really good," Francona said before his spring training start. "He said about a week before spring training he felt it that's when we started to start to monitor his elbow."

The Reds saw signs in his Cactus League start.

"You could tell he was having trouble throwing his split (split finger fastball). He didn't throw his splitter at all. You could tell he was pulling his slider. It wasn't his fastball," Krall said.

The Reds now have two starting rotation spots open instead of one.

Chase Burns, Rhett Lowder and Brandon Williamson, who himself is recovering from surgery and 15 months of rehab.

"We will miss him (Greene) there is no getting around that," Francona said. "We done a better job on our depth. We have guys coming back, like Williamson and (Julian) Aguiar. The younger guys are fighting for jobs. And it is just the way we feel about our group. They will go and compete. I don't see anyone, remotely feeling sorry for themselves. Every day you pick up your paper or your phone, there is a pitcher out. It is just the way the game is. We'll be ok."

Rhett Lowder Adjusts From Rough Start Finishes Strong

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

The Athletics jumped on Rhett Lowder for four runs in the first inning. A pair of singles and a pair of doubles around Matt McLain's fielding error set them up for three earned runs.

Lowder retired three straight batters to end the inning. A double play started by third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes ended the second frame.

Lowder finished with 3 2/3 innings. He allowed five runs, three earned on seven hits. He issued no walks and struck out four.

"I felt good. They came out swinging. I had to pitch backward. 

Matt McLain led off the Reds' first with a single and JJ Bleday launched his second home run of the spring, hitting against Jack Perkins.

Connor Phillips followed Lowder and gave up a two-run home run to Jeff McNeil on the first pitch.

Tejay Antone gave up three runs in 2/3 an inning. He gave up one run before he left on two walks and two hits before he left Jonathan Lavallee walked in two after he left.

Rece Hinds hit a three-run to keep the game close at 9-7.

McLain had two hits and a walk. He is hitting .560 this spring.

Rhett Lowder Against The Athletics In Goodyear

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Rhett Lowder is making his fourth Cactus League appearance against the Athletics on Thursday (03/09/26).

Lowder, coming off a lost season, is making a strong case for the opening day rotation. 

So far this spring he has pitched against. Cleveland, the LA Angels, and Cuba. Lower turned in eight innings, allowed one run on two hits and two walks while striking out 10.

The lineup behind him:

Matt McLain SS

JJ Bleday DH

Spencer Steer LF

Nathaniel Lowe 1B

Tyler Stephenson C

Will Benson  CF

Noelvi Marte RF

Ke'Bryan Hayes 3B

Garrett Hampson SS

McLain goes into the game with a .545/.615/.1.136 slash line. He hit a double and four home runs in eight games. He has 11 RBI, including six in one game against the Chicago Cubs on March 2.

Although spring training stats are meaningless, as Terry Francona said, "If you look at statistics, it could cause you to make mistakes."  

Still the Reds lead all MLB teams with 27 home runs at the same time they have the fewest strikeouts with 98. The Detroit Tigers are second lowest with 105. 

Christian Encarnacion-Strand And Chase Petty Farmed Out

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

The Reds simplified its roster on Monday (030926).

Christian Encarancion-Strand and Chase Petty were optioned to Triple A, Louisville. Catcher Michael Trautwein, a non-roster invitee was reassigned to minor league camp.

Encarnacion-Strand had five hits, including two doubles in 15 at bats. He had problems fielding his third base position. 

"The big thing we talked to him about is, we're really not trying to turn him into an on base machine," Francona said. "If we can get him to swing at pitches over the plate that he can handle, he's so strong. He can go pole to pole. That's the goal."

"I thought he did a really good job of it this spring. I don't think there will be enough at bats. I told him it is way more fun to be in the Major League camp. I get it but for your career, go do your thing. He was good. He's in a really good place. He'll continue to work with the hitting guys. We reminded him that in the minor leagues, you can get away with things our of the zone that you can't up here. So stay on top of that."

Petty pitched two scoreless innings on Sunday against the San Diego Padres. 

"When he gets his breaking ball where he wants it, it is that weapon he needs, said manager Terry Francona after Petty's effort against the Padres. "There's a is a couple that when a ball comes out of his hand. You know its a ball out of his hand, so it is a non competitive pitch. But when he gets on top of it and gets down he's very effective."

Petty pitched four scoreless innings in two Cactus League games, allowing two hits and two walks. He struck out two.

"We reminded him. He got thrown a lot at him last year," Francona said. "He's young. This kind of spiraled at times I think. We said as quickly as it go that way (downhill) it can go the other way. He has a really good arm. He knows when he gets that breaking ball where he wants he can have success. That's really good."

Trautwein, 26, played 27 games between Dayton and Chattanooga last season. He hit .205 with three doubles and three home runs for the season. In Cactus League games he had one hit in seven at bats over six games.

Trautwein was selected in the 13thh round of the 2021 draft out of Northwestern University.

Chase Burns Finishes Strong After A Rough Start

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Chase Burns made an important start, his third of the spring. He is battling his buddy, Rhett Lowder, for the last starting pitcher's spot unless the injured Hunter Greene is slow to heal, in which case another spot is up for grabs. Brandon Williamson, who is scheduled to start on Tuesdy (031026) against the Colorado Rockies, is also pushing for a spot.

Williamson, a left hander, has more of an edge with more experience.

Burns was hit hard by the San Diego Padres on Sunday (030826) after allowing one run on two hits in 4 1/3 innings in his other two outings.

Padres center fielder, Jackson Merril, drilled a double in the first inning. Former Red Nick Castellanos walked. Gavin Sheets hit a long, three-run home run. 

Pablo Reyes singled and scored on a triple by Jake Cronenworth.

But Burns finished strong. He retired the six batters he faced, logging 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on four hits and a walk. He also struck out four, including two of the last three batters.

"I made an adjustment. I felt good and got into some bad counts. I fell behind (on Gavin Sheets). I got in a bad count and I kind of had to serve one up. I served one up to the wrong hitter." Burns said. 

Burns got Miguel Andujar to take a bad swing.

"It was a slider, I think," Burns said.

The young pitcher doesn't have the luxury of using the first turns in the rotation to just work on things that Andrew Abbott, Brady Singer and Nick Lodolo have,

"I am still trying to make the team but I'm still working on a lot of stuff. I'm going out there to compete but still working on mechanics and my pitches," Burns said.

Terry Francona liked the way he rebounded after the rough start.

"When he worked ahead (in the count), he was just fine. When he fell behind, he gave up damage," Francona said. "That's been the message the entire time from our pitching guys. Still and he's a pup. The stuffs there and he understands it. As you see his execution improves, you're going to see those good innings."

Chase Petty with an outside chance to make the team, pitched two scoreless innings with two hits a walk and a strikeout.

"When he gets his breaking ball where he wants it, it is that weapon he needs. There's a is a couple that when a ball comes out of his hand. You know its a ball out of his hand, so it is a non competitive pitch. But when he gets on top of it and gets down he's very effective."

The Reds offense was quiet for six innings. Sal Stewart and Francisco Urbaez had harmless singles until Reds' top catching prospect lined a home run to left center field with a man on off Ethan Routzahn.

Zach Maxwell allowed an unearned run in which Duno had a throwing error and had trouble blocking pitches in the dirt. There were four or five pitches that perhaps Duno should have blocked.

Maxwell had his back when they came off the field. Francona reassured him too. Maxwell was charged with two wild pitches and Duno made a throwing error when he couldn't block a third strike pitch.

"I wanted him to know that he was ok. He had a tough time back there. And Duno taking that swing when he hit that home run and (Mason) Neville take that swing for me it was worth coming over here. I will tell you another thing that made my day. (Zach) Maxwell is trying to make the team. Maxwell grabbed them as they were coming off the field and put his arm around him. That was worth coming over here today. That tells me that we're moving in the right direction. I was so proud of him."

Neville took a good swing to drive the ball off the right field fence to score the final run in a 14-3 loss.

The Padres scored nine runs in the ninth.

Minor league pitchers Kevin Abel and Jared Lyons walked five batters in the inning. Abel had a wild pitch and Lyons had two in the ninth inning. Perhaps some of them should have been blocked.

Reds Split Up Take On Two Foes At One Time

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

The Reds take on both the Arizona Diamondbacks in Goodyear and the San Diego Padres in Peoria.

Two western division fes at once. That's how the west is won.

In Goodyear, Brady Singer, stretches out for the season with most of his offensive arsenal in the lineup. Chase Burns starting spot competition continues against the Padres. Players having his back has two projected starters. The Padres are more than capable of challenging the rookie starter. Chase Petty and Zach Maxwell have big league experience although limited experience.

Burns will take the mound with these players behind him:

Dane Myers CF

Noelvi Marte RF

JJ Bleday LF

Sal Stewart 1B

Nathaniel Lowe DH

PJ Higgins 3B

Will Banfield C

Garrett Hampson SS

Francisco Urbaez 2B

Burns is up against..... Jake Cronenworth SS, Jackson Merrill CF, Miguel Andujar LF, Nick Castellanos 1B, Gavin Sheets DH, Ramon Laureano RF, Jose Miranda 3B, Luis Capusano C, Pablo Reyes 2B.

The opposing pitcher is RHP Logan Gillespie.

Brady Singer will be backed by:

TJ Friedl CF

Matt McLain 2B

Elly De La Cruz SS

Spencer Steer DH

Will Benson RF

Tyler Stephenson C

Christian Encarnacion-Strand 1B

Ke'Bryan Hays 3B

Rece Hinds LF

Andrew Abbott Off To The Races Named Opening Day Starter

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Andrew Abbott took the news running. The left handed ace of the Reds' staff was on his way to the NASCAR race eight minutes from the Reds camp at Phoenix Raceway.

Terry Francona named him as the opening day starter.

Francona hunted Abbott to tell him the news which is big news in Cincinnati and considered the ultimate honor for a Reds' pitcher.

"I think it's awesome. I don't take any thing for granted. It is an honor to represent the City of Cincinnati. Being there and seeing how big a holiday it is," Abbott said. "Having the chance with all the talent we have on this team. Any one of those guys deserve. I'm excited getting the ball and giving it my all."

It was like a full circle on a NASCAR track from this spring to last year.

"I started at the bottom. I was hurt. I started late," Abbott recalled. "I was just trying to get through the season healthy. It turned out to be one of my best so far. I obviously built on it, learned from it. It is a new year this year. Guys are going to have different approaches to be ready for you. We're trying to change along with them as they are. I'm super excited to do that again."

His family was certainly called the minute he got the news but not so.

"I'm going to see them at the race and I'll tell them then," Abbott said.

To add to the ironic timing of the news.

Abbott is meeting so many of his family members at the track, as the entire family are huge racing fans. The irony is that his parents are celebrating their 37th wedding anniversary at the Raceway. He got them tickets months ago.

"Tito was looking for me. He thought I already left. I was in the training room getting treatment and watching basketball. He told me they were going to announce it."

"We will all be at the races. I will have some cousins there an every thing. We're like the Clampets. When one of show up, 60 of us do," said Abbott referencing the 60's sitcom, the Beverly Hillbillies.

Most people would have said the Taylor's from Andy Griffith or the Cunninghams from Happy Days because Abbott is a dead ringer for Ronny Howard.

With that with a NASCAR jacket on Abbott was off to the races. First the checkered flag then the pennant race.

Nathaniel Lowe Home Run Honors Mom

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

David Nathaniel Lowe circled the bases in a meaningless spring training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

A little over 30 years ago Wendy Lowe gave birth to the baby that grew to 6'4" and belted that home run. She was the age her son is now.

On Thursday, Nathaniel, Lowe blasted a long drive 444' from home plate. It was the day his mother lost a 33 month battle with cancer at the age of 60."

"A lot of people with her type of cancer are gone a whole lot sooner," Lowe said. "For her to give it 33 months of fight is pretty special. In the end, I'm glad that she's done hurting."

Baseball is not that easy. Hitting a round sphere coming at you at 86.3 miles an hour with a twist like the slider he hit with a round bat is one of the most difficult things to do in sports.

Lowe hit one and the trip around the bases meant more to him because of his mom. He did the most difficult thing of all. He let his mom go.

"She was fighting hard but in the end it was kind of rough. It is a horrible way to die," He said. 

"It is weird when I lost my grandfather, I knew I'd hit a home run. I hit a home run. I lost my mom. I knew I'd hit a home run. I hit a home run. When my brother (Josh Lowe of the LA Angels) gets back in the lineup, I know in his first couple at bats. He'll send one out too. It was a cool affirmation because she put in so much work for us to get here (Major Leagues). It was a fun trip around the bases. Even if it is spring training, it's pretty special."

Lowe's father will come out to visit his two sons after he collects his thoughts. The family will honor Wendy after the season.

"It felt like it was time," Lowe said. "I felt like I said goodbye to her five or six times, honestly. I'm happy she's not hurting."

Lowe was technically unemployed when he signed a minor league contract with the Reds on February 14, five days after camp started. He is at a disadvantage. He has to perform to make the team or spend the season in the minor leagues. 

"I think she would want me to keep going," Lowe said. "Especially in this position here where nothing is handed to me. I have to make this opportunity. She did the same thing. Nothing was handed to her she worked hard. She put us in a great position for us to be where we're at now."

Lowe grew up in his mother's native Atlanta, two miles from where she went to high school. 

"I was lucky enough to spend 15 years of my childhood there," Lowe said. "We moved to Orlando when I got out of college and my brother got out of high school. She was a great mom and gave us a great life."

She raised a son that is quickly becoming a favored teammate in the Reds' clubhouse.

"You can see guys gravitate to him," Terry Francona said. "I talked to him a couple times because I wanted to make sure he was ok. He talked about how his dad was exhausted emotionally. He wanted to stay. I told him, 'I don't want to be in your business but if you need anything, anything. He is quickly becoming somebody that you want to be around to everybody. We tell guys to enjoy being part of this culture. You hope guys listen but he's really taken this to heart."

Reds Defense Falters In Ugly Inning Against Jonathan India's Kansas City Royals

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Nick Lodolo made his second Cactus League start in the game against the Kansas City Royals.

Former Reds' second baseman, Jonathan India, led off the game with a home run. India singled again off Lodolo 

Spencer Steer, who started the game in left field, doubled off Aaron Sanchez to start the third inning. Dane Myers walked but Jose Trevino hit into a double play for the second time in two at bats. Christian Encarnacion-Strand doubled past third base to tie the score.

Lodolo had a pitch count of 58 when he left the game with no outs and two runners on in the fourth inning. He pitched three innings allowed x runs on six hits and two walks. He struck out four, including three with runners on second and third in the second inning.

"You don't want traffic but at the end of the day, I got some good work out of the stretch today. That second inning took a lot out of me," Lodolo said. "Overall, I felt good. I was not jumping ahead today by any means. I don't know the numbers but I know it wasn't good. I battled back in a lot of those counts, a lot. When you're trying to build up, you work out of the stretch a lot. I'm not going to lie, that second inning I kinda let it go. I treated it like it was a National League game. My pitch count wasn't that high but I wasn't efficient by any means. A lot of the hits were from falling behind and having to come in with a fastball."

The work was the key to getting Lodolo ready for the season.

"He did ok. He got to 58 pitches which was good. He had to work a little bit but it wasn't a crazy number. He's starting to get stretched out. His fastball had good life to it, that was good," Terry Francona said. "I'd love to see every body get everybody out but when the season starts we can't be rolling pitchers over. When they start getting a little bit fatigued, it's not the worst thing. Earlier you start to get nervous about it but now we're getting to where the pitch count is creeping up."

Sam Benschoter finished the inning with no damage.

Pierce Johnson pitched a perfect inning with a strikeout.

The Royals scored five run against Caleb Ferguson. He allowed five earned runs on five hits and two walks. He commited two errors that allowed runners to advance on the bases. Three of the hits, never left the infield. Tyler Tolbert was credited with a single, reaching on a squeeze bunt.

"It was an ugly inning," Francona said. "We didn't throw strikes. We didn't field our positions. We threw balls away. It was a poorly executed inning, all the way around."

The Reds made it a 6-2 margin with a run in the ninth. Will Banfield doubled, moved to third and scored on an infield hit, legging out a ground ball to the second baseman. Shane Sasaki doubled but the two runners were stranded at the end of the game.

Blake Dunn Done In By Sun Will Get MRI Today Outfield Competition Intense

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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona

Blake Dunn couldn't find the ball in the notorious Arizona sun. Even in a meaningless exhibition, where wins and losses are meaningless in the bigger picture, Dunn knew no other way but to go all out.

"The ball was in the sun. I was trying to approach it from an angle until it came out of the sun. When it did I realized I'd have to dive for it. That's when my foot slipped," Dunn recalled on Saturday.

Buddy Kennedy's bloop fell safely sending the runner home with the lone run allowed by Lyon Richardson.

Dunn had a hyper extended knee and left the game.

"Sean (McQeeny the head trainer) thinks we dodged a bullet," Francona said after the game.

This morning Dunn was by his clubhouse cubicle early and appeared to be moving OK but an MRI was being scheduled later on Saturday.

"I've actually torn that ACL back in high school," Dunn recalled. "I was long jumping in track and I landed on the board, hyper extending my knee and my ACL just snapped. When I did it yesterday that was my main concern. I thought maybe I'd done it again. When everything calmed down and I was able to walk off the field I felt better and it wasn't as bad. We got inside and they checked some things. Every thing is looking ok. We are just going to get some images to make sure every thing is good. Right now there's a positive outlook."

Dunn mentioned a couple of days, taking it easy will be all he needs but reserved his optimism until after the MRI.

"We were really hopeful, he dodged the bullet," Francona repeated. "Saying that for his peace of mind, we're going to line up an MRI. I think it is a good thing. You're asking a guy to go play hard, to slide and dive, for him mentally it's the right thing to do."

Dunn needs to play hard. He is in intense competition for an outfield spot. There are seven players who are primarily outfielders competing for five spots at the most.

Will Benson, JJ Bleday, TJ Friedl, Rece Hinds, Noelvi Marte and Dane Myers are Dunn's competition. Throw in Spencer Steer and his experience in left field and the plot thickens.

The offensive run down with slash lines:

Benson .235/.381/.588

Bleday .353/.450/.588

Friedl .235/.300/.235

Hinds .429/.500/1.071

Marte .250/.286/.500

Myers .462/.588/.923

Dunn .176/.263/.412

Francona is on record that he wants to see players do well but he never looks at statistics. He praised Dunn for his defensive ability.

"He is a good defender no matter where you put him." Francona said.

It is competition among friends for jobs. It is competition even when Cactus League exhibition scores are forgotten two minutes after the game.

On Thursday, the Reds came back against the Dodgers with four runs capped by Rece Hinds game winning three-run home run. Dunn and Hinds had torrid second halves of the season last year. They have played together since Double A but cheer for each other non the less.

"For anyone in that position, whether it's spring training or a regular season game, there is still that pressure moment. You're in the box and trying to pass the baton or win that game. It is good to feel success in that moment. It was really cool. A lot of us in the dugout felt after the first couple at bats, the way they went, that things were going to turn in our favor. Then Rece put the dagger in it which was awesome."