The Cincinnati Reds shipped a disappointing outfielder out of town Saturday in a flurry of moves tied to Hunter Greene’s long-awaited return from elbow surgery.
Will Benson got designated for assignment, and right-hander Chase Petty was optioned to Triple-A Louisville. Both moves were necessary to clear active roster spots after Greene got activated from the 60-day injured list. The right-hander is expected to make his 2026 debut against the Baltimore Orioles.
Greene hasn’t thrown a pitch this season. He had bone chips removed from his throwing elbow during spring training, with an initial recovery timeline of roughly four months. That put him on track for an early July return, which is right about now.
Reds Rotation Gets Its Missing Piece
Cincinnati’s season started promising at 20-11. Since May 1, they’ve gone 20-36. That’s a 40-47 record entering Saturday, dead last in the NL Central and seven games out of a playoff spot. The rotation has been a mess without its ace.
Greene only logged 107 2/3 innings in 2025 because of recurring groin issues. This is now two straight years he’s missed meaningful time. With him back, the rotation slate looks like Greene, Chase Burns, Andrew Abbott, Brady Singer, Nick Lodolo and Rhett Lowder. Lowder is the odd man out unless the Reds keep him stretched in Triple-A or use him as a multi-inning reliever.
Petty’s Demotion Was About Flexibility
Chase Petty had been effective since returning to the big leagues in early June — four earned runs over 12 innings with seven strikeouts and four walks. But he still has minor league options, so the Reds can shuffle him back down without exposing him to waivers. The team hasn’t said whether he’ll stay in a relief role or return to starting in Louisville.
Benson’s Rollercoaster Ride Ends (for Now)
Benson arrived from Cleveland before the 2023 season and looked like a steal. He hit .275/.365/.498 with 11 homers in 329 plate appearances that year, including a walk-off shot against the Dodgers. That version of Benson hasn’t been around since.
Since Opening Day 2024, he’s hitting .200/.279/.390 across 755 plate appearances. He spent time in the minors during both 2025 and 2026. The Reds finally pulled the plug.
At 28, Benson still has two years of arbitration eligibility and can play all three outfield spots. A team looking for depth might grab him off waivers. If he clears, he can reject an outright assignment because he has more than three years of service time. The catch: walking away would cost him roughly $850,000 of his $1.725 million salary for this season.
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