JUST IN: Reds manager Terry Francona addresses Hunter Greene trade rumors
Reds manager Terry Francona poured cold water on the Hunter Greene trade chatter, telling the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast that Cincinnati isn’t in the business of moving frontline arms it can’t easily replace.
“Pitching is too hard for us to acquire through free agency,” Francona said, adding that the club is “fortunate” to have developed real starting depth. He name-checked Nick Lodolo and Andrew Abbott for taking “big steps,” and underscored the obvious with Greene.
“We’ve got to keep Hunter on the mound—when he is, he’s as good as anybody.”
He also pointed to Chase Burns “coming,” while framing the bullpen as the area the Reds must keep developing internally, given the volatile, overpriced relief market.
The denials come after former Reds GM Jim Bowden, now a columnist at The Athletic, fanned trade-rumor flames by listing Greene among stars who could be moved for a haul this winter. Locally, that idea sparked more heat than light—especially after a season in which Cincinnati leaned on homegrown innings.
Francona, hired by Cincinnati on a three-year deal through 2027, has repeatedly signaled a build-around-pitching approach since taking over. The Reds have the pieces to justify it with Greene’s ace ceiling, Lodolo’s left-handed swing-and-miss, Abbott’s efficiency, and Burns’ top-of-the-draft horsepower. Moving Greene would create the very hole the club keeps trying to fill.
The Reds have already signaled that they are not going on a spending spree this winter, so they need to keep the advantages they have, especially on such cheap contracts. Greene is projected to make just over $8 million next season.
Could the Reds listen if blown away? Every team does. But Francona’s message was clear that the plan is to win with the arms they’ve grown, not chase overpriced starters on the open market.
For now, the Hunter Greene trade talk looks more like white noise than a roadmap.
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