Riley Greene’s name has a way of surfacing whenever the Tigers start talking about their next core, and Wednesday night only sharpened that conversation.
Greene became the first Tigers outfielder since Al Kaline to appear in three straight All-Star Games, and American League manager John Schneider gave him the start in left field after fan-voted starters Aaron Judge and Byron Buxton dropped out because of injury. Greene didn’t do much with the spotlight at the plate - he struck out swinging twice - and neither Dillon Dingler nor Kevin McGonigle reached base in three at-bats, another rough Tigers showing in an All-Star setting.
Still, the selection itself says plenty about where Greene stands now. Earlier this month, he “became the third player in franchise history to surpass 85 homers, 300 runs, and 300 RBI before turning 26 years old” after Kaline and Travis Fryman.
The power numbers aren’t quite where they were a year ago, when Greene hit 36 homers, and he’s not on track to match last season’s 111 RBI. But there are signs of real growth in his game.
He’s on pace to trim his strikeouts by 10% this season, and his first-half on-base percentage is up 45 points from last year. At 25, he’s still trending forward.
That’s why the old question keeps coming back: should the Tigers extend him?
It’s a fair debate, even if Greene has quietly put together five years of above-replacement-level production. He doesn’t seem to carry the same fan buzz as McGonigle and Dingler, who have become popular quickly this season. Part of that may be the baggage of being a first-round pick wedged between two other first-round names that didn’t deliver as hoped - Casey Mize, Greene, and Spencer Torkelson from 2018-2020.
There’s also the fact that Greene’s profile hasn’t settled into one clean lane. Last year he set the franchise record for strikeouts.
This season the strikeouts are coming down, but the power has dipped. His defense and baserunning have also trended downward since his 5.3 bWAR 2024 season.
That combination makes him a tricky player to pin down, and it helps explain why the front office hasn’t rushed into an extension and why fans haven’t exactly been demanding one either.
What the Tigers would probably love most is a little more consistency - and, maybe even more than that, a defining moment that matches the talent Greene has shown. For now, there’s no immediate deadline pressure. He won’t be a free agent until after the 2028 season, so Detroit has time to let this one breathe.
In Other News...
Tigers Fans Just Got The Trade Rumor They Were Dreading
With the trade deadline approaching, the Braves are already signaling they plan to be busy, and general manager Alex Anthopoulos has made it clear Atlanta expects to be in the market. For Tigers fans, that matters because Detroit ace Tarik Skubal has started to surface in the rumor mill as a possible fit for a contender looking to upgrade its rotation for the stretch run.
CBS Sports and USA Today have both linked Skubal to the conversation, with USA Today pointing to the Dodgers, Yankees, Blue Jays and Padres among the other clubs in the mix. Nothing has been confirmed, but any real push for Skubal would be the kind of move that changes the entire tenor of Detroits deadline, both in terms of what the Tigers might be asked to give up and what kind of return they could demand. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Just Sent A Stunning Message On Tarik Skubal's Price
The Tigers are already being viewed as a team to watch at the 2026 trade deadline, and Tarik Skubal sits at the center of that conversation. With the left-hander potentially moving before he reaches free agency, Detroit is in position to ask for a return that matches the value of one of the sports premier arms, which is exactly why rival clubs are paying close attention to how the front office handles the situation.
Scott Harris has made it clear the bar is extremely high, and that alone tells you where this is headed. Even with the deadline still in the distance, the Tigers are signaling they will not move Skubal unless the package is substantial enough to reshape the organization, which leaves the rest of the league wondering whether anyone will actually be willing to meet that price. [Read more 🡒]
Scott Harris May Be Near A Risky Tigers Extension Call
The Reds new deal with Chase Burns is the kind of contract that can make front offices around the league stop and take notice, and it gives a useful reference point for teams trying to lock up young pitching before the price climbs any higher. For the Tigers, it arrives at an interesting moment, with Scott Harris still weighing how aggressively to push his roster-building and how much room he has to maneuver before the offseason.
Troy Melton has given Detroit plenty to think about since coming back from injury, showing the kind of performance that can change the conversation fast. The question is whether the Tigers are willing to act now, with payroll constraints in the background and the possibility of structuring an extension in a way that delays the real financial hit until later. [Read more 🡒]