When Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Hunter Greene got to two-strike counts in his start in late May at Wrigley Field, Reds catcher Curt Casali sensed a level of confidence that he had never seen before from the 24-year-old starting pitcher.
“He stayed aggressive in the zone and kind of dared them to hit his fastball,” Casali said that day. Greene went on to pitch six no-hit innings and struck out 11 batters. He consistently overpowered Cubs hitters with 100 mph fastballs, but it turned out that Greene was pitching through hip pain that would set him back and force him to spend two months on the injured list.