Reds Ace Hunter Greene Undergoes Second Tommy John Surgery, Likely Out Through 2027
The Cincinnati right-hander's elbow damage was worse than doctors expected once they operated, wiping out the rest of his 2026 season and casting doubt on all of 2027.
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Cincinnati Reds right-hander Hunter Greene underwent his second career Tommy John surgery on Wednesday, a season-ending procedure that will likely keep the 26-year-old off the mound through all of 2027 as well.
Surgeons performed a full ligament reconstruction — a "revision" Tommy John, more invasive than the internal-brace repair the team had been considering — after finding more extensive damage to Greene's right ulnar collateral ligament once they got a direct look during the operation. MLB.com's report on the surgery put Greene's expected recovery timeline at 12 to 18 months.
A rough season cut short
Greene, the second overall pick in the 2017 draft, made just five starts in 2026 before the injury, going 2-2 with a 6.83 ERA over 27⅓ innings and 33 strikeouts. He had already had arthroscopic surgery in March to remove bone chips from the same elbow. Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall said the team "was not certain if the arthroscopic surgery affected Greene's UCL" at the time.
WHATEVER IT IS, YOU ADJUST. — Reds manager Terry Francona, on the decision to perform the fuller surgical revision once doctors saw the extent of the damage
It's the second Tommy John procedure of Greene's career — his first came in 2019, while he was still in the minor leagues. His best season by far came in 2024, when he posted a 2.75 ERA with a 9-5 record and 169 strikeouts over 150⅓ innings en route to his first All-Star selection. Yahoo Sports' coverage of the surgery notes the Reds had been building their rotation's long-term plans around pairing Greene with fellow flamethrower Chase Burns.
Those plans are now on hold indefinitely. Cincinnati's rotation moves forward without its ace, leaning on Burns, Andrew Abbott, Brady Singer, Nick Lodolo and Rhett Lowder to carry the staff for the rest of the season and into 2027.
What's next: Greene is expected to begin a lengthy throwing and rehab program once he clears the initial post-surgical recovery window, with the Reds not expecting him back in a big-league game before 2028 barring an unusually fast recovery.