Cubs rival rocked by crippling injury news weeks before Opening Day

After reaching the postseason in 2025, there's been an expectation that the Cincinnati Reds could be a surprise threat to the Chicago Cubs at the top of the National League Central during the 2026 season. The big-ticket item for the Reds during the offseason was signing Eugenio Suarez, but they remain a team defined by their starting rotation. A rotation that will take a significant hit at the start of the season.

The Reds have announced that Hunter Greene will undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips and loose bodies in his right elbow. The initial hope is that Greene could be ready to go by July.

Things were looking ominous for Greene and the Reds last week when the team revealed he had an MRI on his elbow. While the imaging ruled out a UCL injury for Greene, it wasn't exactly the news that the Reds were hoping for.

When the Reds recently announced Andrew Abbott as their Opening Day starting pitcher against the Boston Red Sox, it was a sign that Greene could be earmarked for the IL to start the season.

Hunter Greene's sudden surgery is confirmation that the Cubs need a hot start to open the season.

While the Reds are dealing with Greene's surgery, and Brandon Woodruff may not be ready in time for Opening Day for the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cubs are in a position to take advantage with a hot start.

As of now, the Cubs have avoided the injury bug in spring training, with Jordan Wicks and Porter Hodge being the only surprise injuries that have occurred. That being said, neither Wicks nor Hodge was expected to have a role on the Cubs' pitching staff that was as significant as the role Greene has with the Reds.

Since making his debut with the Reds in 2022, Greene has flashed signs of being one of the best starting pitchers in the National League. The problem is that the first four seasons of his career have proved that he struggles to stay on the mound. Case in point, last year, he posted a 2.76 ERA while striking out over 31% of the hitters he faced, but only made 19 starts.

With a hot start to the season, the division is there for the Cubs' taking. Even with the threat from the Reds and Milwaukee Brewers, the Cubs have positioned themselves as the best team in the National League Central. The injuries that have happened during spring training are only further proof of that reality.