Reds Activate Hunter Greene, Designate Will Benson

Key Points:

• Hunter Greene has been activated from the 60-day injured list by the Cincinnati Reds and is set to make his 2026 season debut against the Orioles after recovering from elbow surgery.
• Greene underwent surgery to remove bone chips from his throwing elbow during Spring Training and returned earlier than the expected four-month recovery timeline, though the Reds face a challenging season with a 40-47 record and last place in the NL Central.
• The Reds’ struggles are widespread, particularly with their bullpen and offense, but Greene’s return bolsters a starting rotation that has been inconsistent without him, with a likely six-man rotation including Greene and Chase Burns.
• Outfielder Will Benson was designated for assignment following a slump in offensive production and the addition of other outfield options like JJ Bleday and Matt McLain, signaling the Reds’ willingness to move on from him after four seasons.
• Benson, who has two years of arbitration control and can reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency, may remain with the Reds as Triple-A depth if he opts to keep his guaranteed salary rather than test the market.