Detroit Tigers fan Jed Oliver travels from London to Comerica Park
Detroit Tigers fan Jed Oliver traveled from London to visit Comerica Park for the first time May 23, 2025. He also received a gift from the Tigers.
Detroit Tigers left fielder Riley Greene was benched for a game to rest his body.Greene has been dealing with general wear and tear and soreness, exacerbated by recent games on turf and in hot weather.Despite the soreness, Greene has been performing well offensively, with a .320 batting average and .968 OPS since April 17.
Riley Greene doesn’t need a stint on the injured list.
Not even close.
But it was notable when the Detroit Tigers left their 24-year-old All-Star left fielder on the bench Friday, May 23. The Tigers didn’t call upon him in Friday’s 3-1 loss until a pinch-hit opportunity in the eighth inning, when he stuck out for an American League-leading 62nd time — only nine shy of MLB leader Michael Toglia of Colorado (entering May 24).
“Physically, we’re not in a great place — just being candid,” manager A.J. Hinch said before Friday’s game. He then made this comment about Greene’s status: “Riley always feels like he’s right on the edge of dealing with something. We’re trying to be smart with what we’re doing.”
So, is Greene healthy or not?
Let’s ask him.
“It was just a day to give the body a break,” Greene said.
Is his body dealing with general wear and tear from being an everyday player?
“I would say so,” Greene said. “Just running around.”
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Greene isn’t calling these excuses, but he shared a couple of reminders: The Tigers just played three games on turf in Toronto against the Blue Jays, then three games in hot weather in St. Louis against the Cardinals.
Those games took a physical toll on the outfielders, including him.
“I’m just a little sore,” Greene said.
In 50 games, Greene is hitting .280 with 12 home runs, 15 walks and 62 strikeouts. He has been worth minus-3 defensive runs saved while logging innings in all three outfield positions. Of his 50 games, Greene has started 48 times — 42 in the outfield and six as designated hitter.
Since April 17, Greene has a .320 batting average with a .968 OPS in 33 games — ranking 19th in batting average and eighth in OPS among 183 MLB players over that span.
The only reason for concern: Greene has a history of lower-body injuries, including a left fibula stress reaction in 2023 and a right hamstring strain in 2024.
Hamstring care is now part of his daily routine.
“I feel like we’ve learned our lesson from that last year,” Greene said. “All of the hammy stuff, I learned how to take care of the hamstrings and all that other stuff.”
To stay fresh, Greene might need to miss a start every once in a while.
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That’s why he didn’t start Friday’s game.
The Tigers can’t afford another injury to his legs in 2025.
“Every single day,” Greene said of his daily hamstring routine, which began after his 2024 hamstring injury sidelined him from July 26 to August 18. “It takes a little bit, but it’s worth it. It’s worth it to stay on the field.”
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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