Riley Greene’s Slump Tests the Tigers’ Playoff Ambitions
DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers have surged through much of the season on the strength of solid pitching and timely hitting, but as the calendar turns to its most crucial weeks, one troubling trend threatens to derail their postseason dreams: Riley Greene’s sudden downturn at the plate.
Greene, the Tigers’ 23-year-old centerpiece and a cornerstone of their rebuilding effort, has endured his first true slump of the year. After a blistering first half that saw him flirt with an .880 OPS, Greene has cooled dramatically over the last month, hitting just .210 with a .295 on-base percentage and a sharp decline in extra-base hits. For a team that has relied heavily on his left-handed bat to ignite the offense, the timing could not be worse.
Manager A.J. Hinch admits the Tigers need Greene to find his swing again. “Riley is a huge part of what we do,” Hinch said. “He sets the tone. When he’s getting on base and driving the ball, our lineup flows. We know slumps happen, but we also know we need him to bounce back quickly.”
The Tigers’ offense has struggled to produce consistent power outside of Greene and fellow young star Spencer Torkelson. Without Greene’s usual mix of patience and gap-to-gap pop, opposing pitchers have been able to attack Detroit’s lineup more aggressively, working around Torkelson and daring others to beat them. The result has been a noticeable dip in run production during a critical stretch of the playoff race.
Greene’s swing remains fundamentally sound, but scouts have noted subtle mechanical issues: a slightly late trigger on high fastballs and difficulty staying back on breaking pitches. “He’s just a fraction off,” said a rival scout. “He’s still hitting the ball hard when he squares it up, but the timing isn’t there right now. That’s fixable.”
For Greene, the challenge is both physical and mental. He has already proven he can handle the spotlight, carrying Detroit’s offense for long stretches earlier this season and showing the poise of a veteran despite his age. His teammates remain confident he will rediscover his rhythm.
“Every hitter goes through it,” said Torkelson. “Riley works as hard as anyone. We know he’ll figure it out. When he does, everything changes for us.”
The Tigers have little margin for error in a tight American League Central race. With a pitching staff anchored by Tarik Skubal and a defense that has quietly been among the league’s best, the blueprint for winning is clear: timely hits and solid run support. Without Greene producing near the top of the order, that formula is difficult to execute.
Greene, for his part, remains calm. “It’s baseball,” he said after a recent game. “You go through stretches where everything falls in and stretches where nothing does. I’m making adjustments and trust the work will show.”
Detroit’s postseason hopes may hinge on those adjustments bearing fruit soon. The Tigers have invested heavily in a future built around Greene’s talent and leadership. A late-season rebound from their young star could be the difference between October baseball and another year of waiting.
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