The Detroit Tigers were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday, and Riley Greene did not dress up what that feels like. With five games left in the season, Detroit sits at 74-83, third place in the American League Central, and will watch October from home.
The Tigers were in the playoffs in 2024 and in 2025, and Greene was a part of both of those teams. Detroit did not do enough this season to contend. There will be a lot of questions about this franchise as the offseason approaches.
Riley Greene Does Not Sugarcoat the Tigers Missing the Playoffs
On Monday, Greene talked about the season with Brad Galli of the Brad Galli Show. The star outfielder said:
βYeah, it sucks. Weβve been there the past two years, and our goal is to win the World Series, and we came up short.β
One of the biggest issues with the Tigers this season was injuries. Greene also added:
βItβs been tough. Of course, thereβs gonna be injuries and things are gonna happen, but at the end of the day, we didnβt win enough baseball games.β
One of the biggest injuries on the Tigers roster this season was Javier Baez, who split time between shortstop and center field. He hurt his right ankle on April 28 against the Atlanta Braves, trying to avoid a tag on the way to first base. The high-ankle sprain never let go, and Detroit moved him to the 60-day injured list on June 11. He will have only one year remaining on his contract once the 2026 MLB season comes to an end.
Riley Greene Had a Solid Season Despite Missing the Playoffs
Despite missing the playoffs, it was another solid season for the Tigers outfielder. Greene was an American League All-Star for the third straight year, this time as a starter. So far this season, he has appeared in 136 games. Greene has a .284 batting average with 21 home runs and 75 RBIs, along with three stolen bases on four attempts. His on-base percentage is .371, his slugging percentage is .481, and his OPS is .852.
Detroitβs Problems Are Bigger Than Riley Greene
Greene will be under team control for two more seasons and cannot reach free agency until 2029. The Tigers settled with him on a one-year, $5 million deal in January to avoid arbitration, and at some point they will need to give the 25-year-old a long-term contract extension. He is not the problem on this team. Detroit has other issues to address this offseason.
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