Fake Rangers Hunter Greene trade rumors highlight a lesson fans need to learn

The August 3 trade deadline is nearing, and the Texas Rangers are in prime playoff position. The questions regarding whether the team will be buyers, sellers, or stand pat are answered. The Rangers will be searching for upgrades to some of their key needs. One of those needs resides in the starting rotation.

Over the weekend, a "rumor" hit social media that got some fans in a tizzy. A Twitter/X user named MoccBomb posted on Saturday evening that the Rangers, along with the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox, have contacted the Cincinnati Reds regarding their ace, Hunter Greene. It got the attention of some Rangers fans and content creators.

The account describes itself as an "MLB Insider" and the winner of the "MLB Reporter of the Year" in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The profile photo is a very generic-looking logo that says "MoccBomb," and there is no outlet, such as ESPN or The Athletic, associated with the account. A quick scroll through the rest of the account's tweets shows a lot of baseball content and retweets, but also the same style of rumors for NHL teams. Long story short, it doesn't seem very reliable.

Part of this might have been due to another account on Twitter/X called "Punchoutpitch" tweeting that there "continue to be rumors that the Cincinnati Reds will shop Hunter Green [sic] before the trade deadline," and then cites a real MLB insider, Jim Bowden of The Athletic.

This originates from a column Bowden wrote on July 17, but it doesn't completely cite what Bowden actually said. What he did write was, "There continue to be rumors that the Reds will shop ace Hunter Greene, although they’ve never confirmed that." Bowden is saying he's heard this from other people, so it's all second-hand info.

This is a lesson that, if it's not from a verified insider like Jeff Passan, Ken Rosenthal, Jon Heyman, or Robert Murray, among a few others, it can't be believed. It's also important to note when one of these insiders is sharing intel versus when they're expressing their opinion. Finally, be on the lookout for fake accounts. There are some pretty good pranksters who will steal the real reporter's profile picture and copy the account details almost to a T, but will have a typo or some sort of joke in the username.

As for whether or not the Rangers should target Hunter Greene, well, that's complicated.

The Reds have reasons to hold onto Hunter Greene unless the Rangers or another team blow them away

At 45-53 as of the action on July 19, Cincinnati has fallen behind the back in the NL playoff chase. Bowden was right to call them sellers, but to what extent is unclear. Greene is signed and halfway through a reasonable six-year, $53 million contract. He makes $8.8 million this season and sees that amount jump to $15.3 million next season and $16.3 million in 2028. From there, the Reds hold a club option for $21 million in 2029. For what Greene can do when healthy, it's a bargain.

With that said, the Reds are one of the lower payroll teams in the league at $149.6 million this season. As a small-market team, it might seem that the increase in Greene's salary will motivate them to move him, but they have a hair over $58 million coming off their books in expiring contracts, and many of those players will find new homes at the trade deadline.

Some might think that the $105 million extension that they gave pitching phenom Chase Burns might motivate Cincinnati to trade Greene, as Burns has proven ready to lead the rotation, might be overestimating things. For one, the Reds aren't engaging in a full-scale teardown and rebuild. Rather, with a young core that includes stars like Burns, Elly De La Cruz, and Sal Stewart, they're likely to retool in the offseason to better position themselves to contend in 2027.

Burns extension isn't as hefty as it seems, either. While it comes with a $15 million AAV, that only really matters in terms of luxury tax calculations, and since the Reds won't be a tax-paying team, it's not all that relevant. Like most pre-arb extensions, it starts out really economical, with the youngster making just $2.8 million in 2027.

Eventually, the Reds will likely trade Greene, but it doesn't have to be this year or even next. As they try to rebound and compete in 2027, they're better off with Greene joining Burns atop their rotation.

The Rangers would have reason to be wary of trading for Hunter Greene if he is available

Greene is a top-end starter in the league when healthy, and that's the key. The 27-year-old has never proven that he can stay healthy for an entire season and has two major elbow surgeries on his record, plus a myriad of other maladies. As a result, he's never thrown more than 150 1/3 innings in a season, and tossed just 107 2/3, a career low, last season.

He also might still be finding his groove after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow during spring training. His first start back on July 4 saw him get shelled to the tune of eight earned runs over 3 1/3 innings. His July 10 start was a stellar, seven-shut-out-inning affair with 12 strikeouts. Finally, his most recent outing on Sunday was very average, with him allowing three earned runs over six innings, surrendering two homers in the process.

If the Reds were to trade him now, they'd demand a package commensurate with what it would take to acquire a true ace on an affordable contract for years to come. After giving up so many top prospects for MacKenzie Gore, it's questionable if the Rangers even have the chips to swing a deal before even thinking about how foolish it would be to pay that price with so many questions.

Hunter Greene is a buzzy name and a great talent, but there are too many red flags to make this a worthwhile deal for Texas if he actually were made available. Throw in the fact that this is a fabricated rumor, and it's best to focus your attention elsewhere.

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