The Cincinnati Reds are stuck in last place in the National League Central, 12 1/2 games back with a 39-44 record. However, they remain within striking distance of a Wild Card spot, only five games out. So the bit of good news they got on Monday could still impact their season and the postseason race in the NL. Right-handed starter Hunter Greene, who has yet to pitch this season, will be activated for this weekend’s series against the Baltimore Orioles, according to manager Terry Francona. The Reds will also activate closer Emilio Pagán on Tuesday after he missed roughly two months with a hamstring injury.
Reds Activating Hunter Greene for Next Start
Greene will finally make his season debut after undergoing surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow during spring training. He has been sorely missed by the Reds in the first half of the season after his two stellar seasons in 2024 and 2025. Greene made his first All-Star team in 2024, pitching to a 9-5 record with a 2.75 ERA and a 1.018 WHIP, striking out 169 hitters in 150 1/3 innings. His numbers garnered him an eighth-place finish in NL Cy Young voting.
Greene was arguably even better last season, with a 6-4 record, 2.76 ERA, 0.938 WHIP, and 132 punchouts in 107 2/3 innings. Had he not been limited to only 19 starts thanks to a right groin injury that kept him out for a while, he might well have been in the Cy Young conversation again.
Terry Francona said the Reds are planning to activate Emilio Pagan on Tuesday, and Hunter Greene will “probably” make his next start with the big league club.
pic.twitter.com/bx4mrYxzEI— Chatterbox Sports (@CBoxSports) June 29, 2026
In his last rehab start with Triple-A Louisville, Greene went 6 1/3 innings of shutout ball, giving up only one hit and no walks while striking out far. With a performance like that, it’s no surprise that the Reds believe he’s ready to rejoin the major league roster.
Emilio Pagán Returns Tuesday
Pagán’s return to the Reds’ bullpen is also a huge boost to the pitching staff. Before his injury, he made 15 appearances in his third season with the Reds, struggling mightily. Across 14 innings, he pitched to a 6.43 ERA and 1.429 WHIP. While he picked up six saves, Cincinnati will have much higher expectations for him upon his return. This is largely because of his breakout year in 2025, when he converted 32 saves and put up a sterling 2.88 ERA and 0.917 WHIP. Now in his 10th major league season, the Reds will be counting on the 35-year-old right-hander to lock things down in the back end of the bullpen while providing steady veteran leadership.
Emilio Pagan worked a 1-2-3 inning for the Louisville Bats in his first appearance on his rehab assignment.
He needed just six pitches. #Reds pic.twitter.com/UN7dVAY1N8
— Chatterbox Sports (@CBoxSports) June 26, 2026
Could This Be the Turning Point?
Greene will now reclaim his spot atop the Reds’ rotation, complementing fellow right-hander Chase Burns, who is enjoying a stellar sophomore season with a 9-1 record and 2.36 ERA, and will very likely be on the All-Star team this year. Meanwhile, Pagán will take the closer role back after the Reds had implemented a closer-by-committee system in his absence. Tony Santillan has the most saves on the Reds aside from Pagán with five, but nine other relievers have picked up exactly one save this season.
It remains to be seen whether getting Greene and Pagán back will spur the Reds to another postseason appearance after last year’s miracle run to October. While they sit five games out of the third wild card spot, they will have to leapfrog three other teams just to get into a tie for it. The shoddiness of their rotation (aside from Burns) and their subpar offense are responsible for their current position. They rank 12th in the NL in both runs scored (353) and runs allowed (406). If they’re going to enter the hunt, the Reds will have to move up the rankings in both categories. Perhaps the return of Hunter Greene and Emilio Pagán will be the jolt the pitching staff needs to do its part.
Main Photo Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
