Tuesday is Jackie Robinson Day, baseball¡¯s annual celebration of the man who broke baseball¡¯s color barrier when he made his debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947. For Reds ace Hunter Greene, though, Robinson's legacy isn¡¯t something he pauses to recognize once a year -- it¡¯s something he lives every day.
Appearing Tuesday on ESPN¡¯s Sportscenter, Greene reflected on what Robinson has meant to him since he first picked up a glove.
¡°Jackie¡¯s been in my life ever since I started playing baseball,¡± Greene said. ¡°A true figure, somebody that¡¯s embodied and is the epitome of discipline and perseverance and integrity, and just trying to be as graceful as possible going through adversity. Trying to channel that through my own life and how I walk my life on a day-to-day basis, whether it¡¯s on the field or, most importantly, off the field. Jackie¡¯s been in my life ever since I started playing baseball at the age of 6 years old, and just trying to embody his characteristics as I¡¯ve gotten older.¡±
In Greene¡¯s view, preserving Robinson¡¯s memory is not just about personal reflection. He has also made it a priority to share Robinson¡¯s message with the next generation, hoping to inspire others to embody those same characteristics -- on and off the field.
¡°Sharing it with the next generation and believing that those kids and even baseball players at that age are going to be extremely impactful as they continue their career and walk their life¡± Greene said. ¡°And it goes way beyond the baseball field. It doesn¡¯t require you to play baseball. It doesn¡¯t require you to play sports, to play at the big league level. It just requires you to be a good person and pay attention to others and treat them the way you would want to be treated. So just trying to spread that word and help the kids believe in that as they continue to walk through their life is important.¡±
As a Black athlete, Greene is also honoring Robinson¡¯s legacy through his performance on the field. The right-hander is off to an incredible start in 2025, building on his long-awaited breakout last year. He has posted a 0.98 ERA with 31 strikeouts and four walks over 27 2/3 innings this season, holding opponents to a .126 batting average. Since the start of last July, no pitcher who has thrown at least 80 innings has recorded a lower ERA than Greene¡¯s 1.00.
With those numbers, it¡¯s clear Greene has a strong case for being the best pitcher in baseball. But does he see it that way?
¡°One hundred percent,¡± he said. ¡°I think you gotta have that confidence, especially playing at this level. It¡¯s the best players in the world. So that¡¯s the mindset. I put a lot of work in in the offseason and the years even prior to that, just coming through baseball and going through the development process, so 100%. It¡¯s a long season. Trying to be an ace of a staff comes with a lot of consistency as well. I feel great but it¡¯s a long season, I gotta keep working hard and there¡¯s a lot of work to be done.¡±
If he keeps this up, Greene could find himself hoisting the National League Cy Young Award at the end of the year. While that is certainly a goal of his, he said his primary focus is not on personal accolades. Rather, he wants to bring playoff baseball back to Cincinnati.
¡°I think what¡¯s heavy on my mind is being able to get in the playoffs and set our team up for greatness along the stretch of the season,¡± Greene said. ¡°Getting to the playoffs and trying to be in that World Series contention [is the goal]. We work extremely hard in the offseason. We sacrifice and we have a lot of discipline. We just have to sacrifice throughout our lives.
¡°It¡¯s all to be able to get in those high-pressure leverage situations and help the city out and try to bring excitement and winning back to Cincinnati. So that¡¯s my focus and that¡¯s at least one of the things on my list that I can continue to reach for and strive for.¡±