The Cincinnati Reds were forced to place right-handed pitcher Hunter Greene on the injured list after he sustained a groin injury in early May. Since then, the club has been without one of its top pitchers. However, on Monday, manager Terry Francona shared an inspiring update on Greene's status.

During a guest appearance on MLB Network Radio, Francona revealed that Hunter is due to return for the weekend matchup against the Chicago Cubs. It's a nice step forward for the 25-year-old pitcher, as the Reds are likely to monitor his pitch count closely as Greene works his way back from injury.

“When we play the Cubs, Hunter Greene will be ready to slot in there.”

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Greene initially suffered the injury during a 4-3 win over the Atlanta Braves on May 7. He claimed to be feeling discomfort entering the fourth inning and told the dugout he needed to be subbed out. The 2024 All-Star finished that Reds-Braves game with six strikeouts while allowing two hits through three innings pitched

Getting him back in the rotation will be a nice boost for the Reds. The franchise is 24-24 on the season and is just 4.5 games behind the first-placed Cubs in the NL Central. Greene is considered one of the top players on the roster, as he's emerged as a star-caliber starting pitcher for the franchise.

He's been a reliable option on the mound through 45.2 innings pitched this season. Before suffering the groin injury, Hunter Greene owned a 2.36 ERA and .810 WHIP while recording 61 strikeouts. He also has a 4-2 win-loss record through eight games played for the Reds this season.

Before taking on the Cubs in the upcoming weekend, the Reds have a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. With Pittsburgh struggling so far this season with a 15-32 record, Cincinnati has a chance to possibly close the gap between itself and Chicago. Depending on how these next two series play out, this organization could make a leap in the standings in the week of Hunter Greene's return.