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Cincinnati Reds beat writer Mark Sheldon (MLB.com) speculated the team might utilize ace right-hander Hunter Greene in an effort to improve the lineup in 2026 and beyond. More specifically, Sheldon suggested the team might trade its ace in a blockbuster trade this offseason.
Greene, 26, posted a 2.76 ERA across 107 2/3 innings pitched in 2025 and was an All-Star in 2024. He has an electric fastball, averaging 99.4 mph this past season, and struck out 31.4% of batters compared to a scant 6.2% walk rate. The right-hander has battled injuries throughout his career, having never posted more than 150 1/3 innings in a season, and made just 19 starts plus one poor postseason outing during Cincinnati's Cinderella run to October this season.
Even if healthy, Greene starts just one out of every five games. The one common denominator for a team every night is its lineup; the Reds ranked 24th in baseball in wRC+ at 92, 21st in home runs and 14th in runs scored. Horrible? No, but pedestrian at best, especially for a team that fancies itself as a contender in the years to come.
Behind the 26-year-old flamethrower, the Reds have strong starting pitching in left-handers Nick Lodolo and Andrew Abbott, as well as young right-handers Rhett Lowder and Chase Burns. While Greene is, stuff-wise, the most talented of the group, and locked into a contract through at least 2028 (club option for 2029), the Reds wouldn't necessarily be reeling with his absence. In fact, they're all too used to his absence given his injuries. Even so, they've rebuilt into a formidable out in the National League Central in recent years.
That said, it's important to temper expectations and remember this is a beat writer's speculation—albeit an incredibly juicy speculation. After all, the Reds may be smart to strike in an offseason will a lot of uncertainty regarding available arms ahead of the likely lockout in 2027. Having Greene as a trade chip can fetch them a haul.
Now, if only there was a team out there with a logjam of position players who could help take a Cincinnati's lineup from mediocre to potent overnight.
Enter, stage right, the Boston Red Sox.
Following the call-up of outfielder Roman Anthony, the constant talking point looming was the team's logjam of outfielders. Such logjam forced Platinum Glove-hopeful Ceddanne Rafaela out of center field and to second base for multiple weeks following Marcelo Mayer's wrist injury.
That logjam still exists to this day, with one player in particular garnering a lot of polarization within the fanbase between his on-field antics and somewhat inconsistent production in 2025: Jarren Duran. Perhaps reading too much into the nuances of the player, it just feels like Duran is a Terry Francona guy, doesn't it? After all, for better or worse, the 2024 All-Star, who ironically homered off of Greene in the Midsummer Classic, is a max-effort player. Not only that, but he's durable—two things Francona loves in his players. He may not be of similar value, but there's some resemblance in play style between Duran and longtime Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who played for Francona from 2006 until 2011.
Regardless, we've established Duran as a likely chip headed back to Cincinnati in this hypothetical deal; what would the entire trade package look like?
Well... it's a lot. This is just one hypothetical (the actual pieces can and likely will switch if a deal is struck here), but the point remains that the cost for Greene is going to be uncomfortably high.
Red Sox get: RHP Hunter Greene
Reds get: OFs Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu, IF Kristian Campbell, RHP Luis Perales (No. 3 on Sox Prospects), LHP Brandon Clarke (No. 8), and IF Mikey Romero (No. 10)
*Gulp*
It may seem like way too much outgoing, and that's because it probably is. However, if you take a step back and examine each piece of the puzzle, you'll see the Red Sox actually make out very well.
It's the kind of trade that looks a bit silly on the surface, but it consolidates talent and turns a small handful of good players into one elite talent—something the Red Sox lack outside of the aforementioned Anthony as well as ace southpaw Garrett Crochet.
Not to mention, a big reason Boston coveted Crochet and Aroldis Chapman last winter was their electric fastballs and ability to generate whiffs. Greene ranked in the 90th percentile for whiff rate and in the 99th percentile for fastball velocity in 2025. Grnering a luxury tax hit of $8.8 million through 2028, selling out for Greene should be a no-brainer for Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow.
Here's what the Red Sox rotation could look like post trade, assuming no other moves were made (age):
Garrett Crochet, LHP (26)
Hunter Greene, RHP (26)
Brayan Bello, RHP (26)
Connelly Early, LHP (23)
Kutter Crawford, RHP (30 on April 1) OR Payton Tolle, LHP (23 on Nov. 1)
Here's what the Reds lineup could look like post trade, assuming no other moves were made:
(L) Jarren Duran, LF
(S) Elly de la Cruz, SS
Spencer Steer, 1B
(L) TJ Friedl, CF
Noelvi Marte, DH
Tyler Stephenson, C
(L) Wilyer Abreu, RF
Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B
Matt McClain, 2B
That's a heck of a lot of length that the Reds' lineup gains, not to mention the abundance of prospect talent restocking their farm system coffers. Of course, the Red Sox wouldn't be left without offensive talent, as they could field an outfield of Anthony, Rafaela, and Jhostynxon Garcia on a nightly basis.
You can debate the merits of this hypothetical all you want; two truths remains regardless of how you nitpick. Hunter Green is going to cost a metric ton in a trade, and the Red Sox would be fools not to at least try to negotiate for him.
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