Riley Greene has spent the last five years as a fixture in the middle of the Tigers’ lineup, the kind of young hitter Detroit has counted on to grow from promising star into something bigger.
That next jump still hasn’t happened. And one stat from this season helps explain why.
Thomas Nestico pointed out that about 62% of Greene’s home runs have come in low-leverage situations. That’s a hefty chunk, and it lines up with a bigger issue for Greene: the moments that tend to define a true superstar haven’t been his best work.
The late-game numbers tell the story even more clearly. In the seventh inning or later this season, Greene is batting .242 in 128 at-bats with just three home runs and 11 RBI, while striking out 46 times. That works out to a strikeout every 2.78 at-bats in those spots, and his slash line there sits at .242/.366/.359.
Even last season, when he was even more productive overall, Greene was still searching for answers in pressure situations. In 2025, he hit just .177/.229/.382 in the seventh inning or later, though he did manage 10 homers and 27 RBI across 186 at-bats.
For a player expected to be the face of the offense, those are the kinds of numbers that keep the “superstar” label just out of reach.
Greene’s overall production still shows why the Tigers believe the ceiling is there. He just turned in a career year, launching 36 home runs and driving in 111 runs while batting .238 with a .313 on-base percentage. That power output topped his 2024 line, when he hit 24 homers with 74 RBI, but he was far more dangerous in the late innings that year, batting .297 with nine home runs and 22 RBI in the seventh inning or later.
The concern now is that Greene may be expanding too much and chasing tougher pitches, which has pushed his strikeout rate up over the past two seasons. The result has been a lot of empty trips when the Tigers need a bat to shorten the game.
He seems to be pressing at times, trying to be the guy who ends the inning instead of just keeping it moving. That has led to strikeouts, wasted chances, and too many anti-clutch moments.
Still, the raw ingredients are all there. Greene has plus contact, real power, steady defense despite not being a burner, and a strong overall feel for the game. He’s also one of the leaders in the clubhouse.
And if he can put all of that together while finding the clutch gene that seemed to disappear after the 2024 season, he can become a superstar. That’s easier said than done.
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A.J. Hinchs Astros Connection Just Created New Tigers Noise
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For Detroit, the louder point is probably the one that cuts the other way: Hinch has not shown interest in leaving the dugout for a front-office post, and he remains firmly in place as the Tigers manager after recently getting a contract extension. Still, the report is enough to create fresh noise around a coach who has become central to Detroits direction, especially with his past in Houston never far from the surface whenever the Astros come calling. [Read more 🡒]