The Reds face the Tigers on June 13, 2025, with Austin Hays and Hunter Greene injured. Can Cincinnati overcome the odds against a top team in Detroit?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
The Cincinnati Reds rolled into Comerica Park on Friday facing an uphill battle against the powerhouse Detroit Tigers. With a stellar 44-25 record, the Tigers presented a tough enough challenge on paper, but a growing list of injuries to key players has turned a difficult series into a true test of the team's depth and resilience.
Left fielder Austin Hays will be shut down from running for a few days due to a foot injury.
All eyes were on veteran right-hander Nick Martinez as he took the ball for the 35-34 Reds. Tasked with quieting a potent Tigers offense, Martinez faced off against Detroit's Brennan Hurter. For a Reds team hovering just above .500, stealing a win on the road against a division leader like the Tigers would be a massive momentum boost, but the challenge was immense from the first pitch.
The challenge in Detroit is amplified by troubling news from the trainer's room. Left fielder Austin Hays has been shut down from running for several days as he deals with a nagging foot injury, leaving a hole in the outfield and the lineup. Meanwhile, the news on ace Hunter Greene wasn't much better. A second opinion on his right groin strain confirmed the initial diagnosis, and he also received an epidural to manage related back soreness. The absence of Greene's electric arm and Hays' steady presence puts even more pressure on the rest of the roster to step up.
While fans might be hoping for reinforcements via trade or a call-up from the farm system, it was a quiet day for the front office. No trades, transactions, or significant updates from the minor league affiliates were reported on Friday. For now, the Reds will have to navigate this tough stretch with the players they have, making every game and every at-bat that much more critical.
As the series in Detroit continues, the Reds' mettle will be truly tested. Without Hays and Greene for the foreseeable future, the margin for error is razor-thin. The team will need pitchers like Martinez to eat innings and for the lineup to find creative ways to manufacture runs against one of the league's best. It's a 'next man up' moment for Cincinnati, and how they respond this weekend could set the tone for the coming weeks as they fight to stay in the playoff hunt.
