CINCINNATI -- Hunter Greene made his season debut on Saturday night, and while the numbers didn’t look great, the Reds hope the return of their right-handed ace will provide a boost for the rotation.
Greene allowed eight runs on seven hits with four walks and seven strikeouts in an 8-5 loss to the Orioles at Great American Ball Park. He threw 89 pitches (53 strikes).
The four walks were one off his career high. The eight earned runs tied a career high.
“Thought the ball came out good,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “Had some deep counts. They fouled off a number of two-strike fastballs. He just wasn’t commanding.”
Greene underwent a procedure on March 11 to remove bone chips from his right elbow. He made only one appearance during Spring Training and three starts on a Minor League rehab assignment, so some rust was anticipated.
Gunnar Henderson led off the game with a single. After Greene struck out Adley Rutschman and got Taylor Ward to fly out, Pete Alonso walked to set the stage for Samuel Basallo’s three-run home run on a 100.4 mph fastball to put the Orioles ahead, 3-0.
It’s the second-fastest pitch an Orioles player has hit for a homer in the pitch-tracking era (since 2008), behind Rutschman, who homered on a 100.8-mph pitch on Sept. 17, 2023.
“Just didn’t do a good job channeling the adrenaline,” Greene said. “Not an excuse by any means. Just a reality. I was aware I was amped, especially on the late heaters that I pulled early. Obviously at this level, we’ve got to be able to make adjustments. I didn’t do a good job of that.”
Greene bounced back in the second inning, with a pair of strikeouts helping him work around a one-out walk to Jackson Holliday.
The Reds fought back to take the lead in the second inning against Orioles right-hander Brandon Young. Jose Trevino had an RBI double, and he scored on TJ Friedl’s triple. Two batters later, Elly De La Cruz’s RBI single plated Friedl to put the Reds ahead, 4-3.
Spencer Steer threw out Rutschman trying to score the tying run in the third and Greene fanned Basallo to end the inning.
Greene struggled in the fourth, allowing a single and issuing a pair of walks (and a wild pitch) to load the bases with nobody out. Blaze Alexander’s single to center drove in two runs as the Orioles regained the lead, 5-4.
“I was constantly behind,” Greene said. “Obviously, [it's] not a good recipe for success.”
After Alexander stole second base, a two-run double by Rutschman extended the Orioles’ lead to 7-4 and brought an end to Greene’s night. Alonso’s RBI hit off Sam Moll made the score 8-4, capping a five-run frame for Baltimore.
Rhett Lowder tossed three scoreless innings in his first career relief appearance, allowing two hits with three walks. He had made 19 straight starts.
“He was outstanding, I will say that,” Francona said. “We’re kind of up against it with the bullpen right now.”
The Reds brought the tying run to the plate with no outs in the ninth against Orioles closer Tyler Wells. But JJ Bleday popped out, Eugenio Suárez lined to center and Nathaniel Lowe popped out to end the game.
Cincinnati lost despite out-hitting the Orioles, 11-10. The Reds were 4-for-14 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine.
The Reds (40-48) are a season-high eight games below .500, a mark they last reached at the end of the 2024 season. They haven’t been at least nine games under .500 since Sept. 28, 2024.
Despite Saturday’s loss, the Reds now have Greene to pair with newly named NL All-Star Chase Burns at the top of the rotation.
“Even when we saw him back here six weeks ago, he looked really strong,” Francona said of Greene. “I think he's in a position to pitch well. He looks really healthy. That's even better. We missed him for sure.”