Whenever his coaches and teammates on the Cincinnati Reds talk about rookie starting pitcher Hunter Greene –– whether it’s manager David Bell, pitching coach Derek Johnson, a veteran player or a rookie who just joined the team –– they’ll describe the under-the-radar traits that make Greene a standout pitcher.
They’ll describe his competitiveness, his confidence, his work ethic, his preparation and his pre-start routine. Over the last three months, Greene has improved in all of those areas.
But every time anyone with the Reds discusses Greene, the conversation eventually always goes back to the fastball.
Greene showed why his fastball is his best attribute as he allowed just one run in six innings, and the Reds beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 5-4, at Great American Ball Park in front of a crowd of 33,927 on Saturday.