PITTSBURGH -- The lengthy and deliberate process to get starting pitcher Hunter Greene beyond his right groin strain and back on the mound for the Reds appeared to have finally reached its conclusion.
Manager Terry Francona revealed that Greene would be activated from the injured list on Wednesday and start against the Phillies at Great American Ball Park. Chase Burns was originally slated to start the series finale, but the club is still determining what's next for the rookie.
“We are working through that, how we want to do it. Because we’ve got Thursday off," Francona said on Sunday.
In 11 starts this season, Greene is 4-3 with a 2.72 ERA for the Reds. He was working out in Cincinnati on Sunday.
Greene, 26, has been on the IL twice this season because of a right groin strain and he has been out since having a return of the issue while pitching vs. the Brewers on June 3. Greene made only three starts for Cincinnati after returning from his first IL stint on May 23.
In early July, Greene was about to begin a rehab assignment before telling the club he felt symptoms again and postponed it. A follow-up MRI exam revealed no issues, however, and the Reds sent him to their player development complex in Goodyear, Ariz., to continue his throwing program.
The rehab assignment eventually began on July 23 with a start in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League before three more outings with Triple-A Louisville. In Greene’s most recent start vs. Toledo on Friday, he allowed five runs on two hits -- a pair of home runs -- and three walks to go with seven strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings and 79 pitches.
“I think the biggest thing is trying to get back into pitching shape, at least from talking to him," Francona said. "But when you look, he held his velocity the entire game. I think having a day off after he pitches [Wednesday] is probably beneficial so we can kind of protect him if need be.”
The Reds could move either Burns or Nick Martinez into the bullpen upon Greene's return.
“There’s a lot of things to work through. It’s a valid question," Francona said. "There are a lot of either-or’s that we just don’t know yet.”
Burns, the second overall selection in the 2024 MLB Draft and in his first pro season, has made eight big league starts, but he will eventually need to have his innings curtailed.
Martinez, who pitched seven innings in Saturday's 2-1 win over the Pirates, is a versatile swingman comfortable with either starting or relieving. He went to the bullpen last week only to be needed in the rotation again after Nick Lodolo went on the IL on Tuesday with a blister on his left index finger.
Lodolo, who is 8-6 with a 3.05 ERA in a career-high 23 starts, is eligible for activation on Aug. 20. He played catch on Wednesday, then took a few days off to let his blister heal some more before throwing again on Sunday.
“He had a flap that had re-emerged, and they cut that off," Francona said. "Now he’s going to go out and throw again today. I think today is the first day where [head trainer] Sean [McQueeney] felt like he was starting to turn a corner.”
Having Lodolo and Greene back in the rotation would be a boost for Cincinnati as the club fights for a postseason berth. The Reds are currently chasing the Mets for the final National League Wild Card spot.