Hunter Greene undergoes second Tommy John surgery

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Hunter Greene will miss the remainder of the 2026 season and is expected to be sidelined for all of 2027 after undergoing a second Tommy John surgery on Wednesday. The procedure, performed to repair a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, was confirmed by the team on Thursday. The recovery timeline is estimated at 12 to 18 months.

The surgery marks a significant setback for the 27-year-old right-hander, who was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft. Greene previously had Tommy John surgery in 2019 while in the minor leagues. He also began the current season on the injured list after undergoing an arthroscopic procedure in March to remove bone chips from the same elbow. He made his season debut on July 4 and started only five games before the latest injury.

In those five starts, Greene posted a 6.83 ERA, allowing at least four earned runs in three of them. He finished the season with a 2-2 record. Despite the injury-plagued campaign, Greene had emerged as a cornerstone of the Reds' rotation in 2024 and 2025, earning an All-Star selection in 2024. Over those two seasons, he posted a 16-9 record with a 2.76 ERA and 301...