Reds put ace right-hander Hunter Greene on injured list with groin strain

HOUSTON (AP) — Reds ace Hunter Greene was placed on the 15-day injured list with a groin strain, one of six roster moves by Cincinnati ahead of Friday night's game at Houston.

Greene struck out six in three scoreless innings at Atlanta on Wednesday before summoning a trainer while warming up for the fourth. An All-Star last season, the right-hander is 4-2 with a 2.36 ERA in eight starts this season.

Reds manager Terry Francona told reporters in Atlanta on Thursday the injury isn’t “terrible” and “all things considered, he’s going to be OK.”

Chase Petty, who was recalled from Triple-A Louisville on Friday, will take Greene’s spot in the rotation and is scheduled to start Sunday’s series finale at Houston.

Also Friday, the Reds activated outfielder Austin Hays, who hasn’t played since April 28 because of a left hamstring strain.

A left calf strain sidelined Hays for the first 16 games of the season. He is batting .365 with five homers and 13 RBIs in 13 games. Hays will hit cleanup for a Reds lineup that has produced baseball’s fifth-worst batting average in May (.217).

“He’s such a professional. Everything he does he does with a purpose, and he does for the right reasons,” Francona said.

The Reds, who have lost five of six, also recalled outfielder Will Benson from Louisville and optioned outfielders Blake Dunn and Jacob Hurtubise. Dunn has gone hitless in his last 17 at-bats, dropping his average to .150, and he failed to execute a sacrifice bunt in the 11th inning of Thursday’s loss to the Braves.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb