After his toughest outing of the season and with the Cincinnati Reds still holding on in the NL wild card race, Hunter Greene turned in what could be considered his best performance of 2025, throwing a complete-game shutout to secure a win over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.
Greene celebrated the moment with a post on X, writing “never give up” along with an image of him walking off the mound at the end of the game.
In his previous start on September 13, Hunter Greene had his shortest outing of the season, lasting just 2.1 innings and giving up five runs on four hits and four walks in a tough 11-5 loss to the Athletics.
The Reds, who have struggled with consistency throughout the year—especially since September began—entered Thursday with a 7-8 record this month. Their September stretch included two separate three-game losing streaks, broken up by a brief 4-1 run from September 6-10.
Despite the Cubs securing a playoff spot on Wednesday, they still fielded most of their regulars for Thursday’s series opener against Cincinnati. The only notable absence was Kyle Tucker, who has been on the injured list since September 9 due to a calf strain.
Greene responded to the pressure by delivering a dominant performance, allowing just one hit and striking out nine in a 1-0 win. This was his first complete game in the majors, going the full nine innings. His previous complete game, during his rookie year in 2022, was cut short by rain after seven innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Aside from his rough outing against the A’s, Greene has been exceptional in September. The 26-year-old has allowed one run or fewer in three of his four starts this month.
Since returning from a two-month stint on the injured list due to a groin injury on August 13, Greene has posted a 2.79 ERA, with 52 strikeouts and 26 hits allowed over 42 innings in seven starts.
The Reds have gone 5-2 in those seven games, and with Thursday’s win, they improved to 77-76, pushing them above .500. They are now just two games behind the New York Mets for the final NL wild card spot with nine games left in the season.
The Mets’ remaining schedule includes three games against the Washington Nationals, Cubs, and Miami Marlins. Cincinnati, meanwhile, will finish the regular season with three more games against the Cubs, followed by three against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Milwaukee Brewers.
The Reds are aiming for their first winning season since 2023 and their first postseason appearance since 2020.
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