Locked On Reds - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Reds

BREAKTHROUGH: Cincinnati Reds Ace Hunter Greene Will DOMINATE and Deliver Elite Results

·32 min·2 clips

Hunter Greene's 2026 breakout hinges on pitching 30 games, but can he overcome his availability issues?

This episode of Locked On Reds focuses on expectations for pitcher Hunter Greene and discusses potential free agent Nick Castellanos. Hosts Jeff Carr and Stephen Offenbaker, who have covered the Reds for a combined 16 podcast seasons, analyze the team's outlook. They debate whether Greene can make 30 starts in 2026, noting his career highs are 26 starts and 150 innings from 2024. Greene posted a 2.75 ERA in 2024 and a 2.76 ERA in 2025, with a strikeout rate near 11 per nine innings. The hosts cite his injury history, including a groin issue that limited him to 19 starts last year, as a barrier to elite Cy Young contention. They project his 2026 stats to include an ERA between 2.75 and 3.00, 24-27 starts, and a walks-per-nine under three. The conversation shifts to Nick Castellanos, whom the Phillies told not to report to spring training. Castellanos had a .250 average and 17 home runs in 2025, amassing 1.4 total WAR over four seasons in Philadelphia. The hosts argue his defensive limitations and the Reds' signing of Eugenio Suarez eliminate any fit for Castellanos in Cincinnati. A surprising claim is that Greene's combined ERA over 2024-2025 is around 2.75 despite only 45 total starts in those two years. They note the Reds' baserunning was less aggressive in 2025, with 100 fewer total steal and advancement attempts than in 2024. An interesting insight is that the Reds ranked third in baseball in taking extra bases on hits, but their stolen base attempts were a net negative, costing them two runs. The memorable moment referenced is Greene getting shelled in the 2025 wildcard game, which the hosts contrast with his complete-game shutout in San Francisco earlier that year. The tone is conversational and analytical, blending statistical debate with roster speculation. The style is fan-oriented, featuring insider perspectives from longtime team observers. Reds fans interested in pitcher projections and offseason roster analysis would enjoy this episode. Listeners seeking game recaps or breaking news might find it less immediately relevant.

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Hunter Greene's 2026 season frames a blunt Reds roster-fit discussion around Castellanos, Suarez, and Stewart.

Locked On Reds keeps Hunter Greene at the center, but the sharper point is how his 2026 season fits into the rest of the roster. The show moves briskly from Greene to Nick Castellanos, Eugenio Suarez, and Sal Stewart, arguing that Castellanos no longer fits the current mix…

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Want a clear read on Hunter Greene's 2026 pressure point without the fluff?

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