Hunter Greene is on track to lead the Reds' rotation down the stretch

When Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Hunter Greene got to two-strike counts in his start in late May at Wrigley Field, Reds catcher Curt Casali sensed a level of confidence that he had never seen before from the 24-year-old starting pitcher.

“He stayed aggressive in the zone and kind of dared them to hit his fastball,” Casali said that day. Greene went on to pitch six no-hit innings and struck out 11 batters. He consistently overpowered Cubs hitters with 100 mph fastballs, but it turned out that Greene was pitching through hip pain that would set him back and force him to spend two months on the injured list.

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“I had been throwing with my situation for probably six or seven starts,” Greene said. “I wasn’t even at my best for those games, which is crazy to think about.”

Before he went on the injured list in the middle of June, Greene was pitching better than he ever had in the big leagues. Then, because of hip stiffness that wouldn’t go away, Greene needed to go on the injured list. He went to the Reds’ spring training complex in Arizona to complete a four-step core stabilization program.

After completing specific exercises, Greene was able to start a rehab assignment. He pitched 2 ⅔ innings in Triple-A on Friday and is scheduled to return to the Reds’ rotation on August 20.

“(It would have been) foolish to keep pitching (through the injury),” Greene said. “I felt like it was selfish for me to keep going out there knowing I wasn’t at my best and wouldn’t be able to put the team in the best position to win. I had to make that move, not just for myself but the team as well. It (stunk) not to be able to be here and help the team out. As you've seen, they’ve done pretty well and I know they’re going to continue to do well for the rest of the year.”

Since the Reds weren’t able to make a deadline move for a starting pitcher, the Reds are counting on Greene to lead the rotation down the stretch run. Before he went on the injured list, Greene had the most consistent four-game stretch of his career because of the way he controlled his slider, mixed in changeups and set up his fastball.

Greene said his stint on the injured list has been a chance to reevaluate his approach and find ways to take his game to another level. He didn’t share specifics, but he’s working on adjustments that can help him reach his goal to become one of the best pitchers in baseball.

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“There has been a lot of time to work on myself,” Greene said. “Trying to assess what I can do to get better in every field of my game on and off the field, there's been a lot of time to think about that.”

Greene is scheduled to pitch in Triple-A again on Thursday as he continues his rehab assignment, and he’s on track to pitch in the big leagues in two weeks against the Toronto Blue Jays. Starting pitcher Nick Lodolo, on the injured list with left calf tendonosis, is also scheduled to return in late August.

While the Reds have been in the playoff picture since June, Greene has been on the injured list for almost all of that stretch. The Reds extended Greene because of his potential to lead a rotation into the playoffs, and he’s looking forward to that opportunity.

“I'm exactly where I need to be,” Greene said. “It sounds weird saying that being on the IL, but I believe things happen for a reason and last year I felt like I became not just a better person, but a player and a professional after coming back from my rehab and I feel the same way this year. I think all of that is building me to be better in the future for Cincinnati.”

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Hunter Greene is on track to lead the Reds' rotation down the stretch