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…
Justin Verlander Showed Incredible Composure During Painful A-Rod Interview
Justin Verlanders All-Star appearance was already notable before he ever stepped near a mound. The veteran was in Atlanta as a Legend Pick for the 2026 game while still working back from injury, a reminder that even in a showcase built around star power, his name still carries weight with fans and broadcasters alike.
The awkwardness came during a pregame interview with Alex Rodriguez, when the conversation veered off course and Verlander had to step in to straighten out the record. He did it without making the moment bigger than it needed to be, a polished bit of composure from a pitcher who has spent a long time handling pressure, even when the challenge comes away from the field.
Tigers Injury Picture Just Changed For The Second Half Push
The All-Star break offered a good snapshot of where the Tigers stand and who has helped get them there, with Riley Greene, Kevin McGonigle, Dillon Dingler and Justin Verlander all representing the club in Philadelphia. Even with Detroit sitting 44-52 and still chasing ground in the A.L. Central, the bigger picture is the wild-card race, where the Tigers remain within striking distance and every healthy arm or bat matters as the schedule turns toward the second half.
That is why the injury board carries so much weight right now. Will Vest, Brant Hurter, Justin Verlander, Jackson Jobe, Burch Smith and Gleyber Torres are all working through different recovery paths, and the team is trying to piece together enough depth to stay in the race while waiting on reinforcements. Some absences are already known to be long term, but the more immediate question is how many of the others can realistically help before the season slips into its final stretch.
Tarik Skubals view of Dillon Dingler says plenty about where the Tigers catcher has landed in the eyes of the people around the clubhouse. Dingler has turned a strong first half into real staying power, pairing production with the kind of preparation that stands out to teammates and coaches alike, and his value has only grown as Detroit has leaned on him more behind the plate.
The timing makes the conversation even more interesting because Dingler is still in the early, affordable part of his career, which gives the Tigers some breathing room now but not forever. With his stock rising and arbitration still down the road, Detroit has a chance to think ahead before the numbers get more complicated, and that is the kind of decision front offices usually prefer to make before it becomes a problem.
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