Breaking News: Latest Reds’ update posed major problem

He looked absolutely dominant Wednesday night in Atlanta. He was throwing 101 mph fastballs, hitting his spots with precision, didn’t walk a single batter, and struck out six Braves in just three innings.

But despite recording six of his nine outs via strikeout, the bad news is that he only managed nine outs before leaving the game. Greene exited early with what’s being called a groin injury. According to Mark Sheldon of Reds.com, he’s scheduled for an MRI on Thursday to assess the severity. Even if it’s a minor issue, a stint on the injured list seems likely.

Injuries are part of the game, and teams prepare for them with depth and roster flexibility. Still, the number of injuries the Reds are dealing with is hard to ignore.

Just yesterday, updates were given on the recoveries of Rhett Lowder, Wade Miley, Jeimer Candelario, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Austin Hays, Sam Moll, and Tyler Callihan. At the time, Noelvi Marte was only dealing with side discomfort—by the end of the day, that had turned into an IL placement for a strained oblique.

Now, with Greene joining the list—and Tyler Stephenson only recently returning—the Reds are constantly reshuffling their roster just to keep afloat.

There’s optimism that Greene’s injury is minor and might only cost him two weeks. As Charlie Goldsmith pointed out, similar injuries to Miley and Sonny Gray kept them out for a comparable period, and the Reds’ upcoming schedule includes two off-days, potentially limiting the number of starts they’d need to cover.

Still, even a short absence for Greene is tough to take. He’s been a consistent, high-level presence in a rotation that’s struggled with health and depth.

Somehow, the Reds sit at 19-19 through 38 games—a small miracle considering how much time key players have missed. But the ongoing injuries make it incredibly difficult to evaluate the true potential of this roster.

One has to wonder what Terry Francona, still learning the team, must be thinking. How do you get a handle on your roster when new injuries keep popping up daily?

This team hasn’t collapsed—they’re still at .500—but are they actually good?

Is Austin Hays a real offensive contributor? Can CES prove he belongs? Is Marte just rusty after a long suspension? Is Matt McLain truly a breakout star?

We’re 38 games in, and it still feels like most of the preseason questions remain unanswered. Greene had been one of the few certainties. Now, even he might be sidelined.

If his injury lingers, the Reds might face a turning point. Greene’s every-fifth-day reliability had been enough to keep hope alive. Without that, the injury pileup could start dragging this team too far down to recover.