Jun 17, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene (31) celebrates with outfielder Kerry Carpenter (30) after he hits a two-run home run in the seventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park. Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Tigers Slugging Duo Ranked Among Least Clutch Players in Baseball This Season

Originally posted on Detroit Tigers on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Jun 26, 2025 5:30 PM ET

There isn’t much not to be excited about when it comes to the performance of the Detroit Tigers this season.

They currently own the best record in the American League at 50-31, tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in baseball.

Clicking on all cylinders, the Tigers are receiving excellent contributions from up and down their roster.

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Their pitching staff has a collective ERA of 3.50, which is seventh-best in the MLB. Looking to add more pop to their lineup, they are sixth in baseball with a .743 OPS and have scored 402 runs, which ranks fifth.

This is a team loaded with stars both on the mound and in the lineup, with some arguing that left fielder Riley Greene is the best hitter on the team.

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He may lead the AL with 101 strikeouts, but he has a stellar .299/.353/.536 slash line with 17 home runs, 21 doubles and 61 RBI, with a 149 OPS+ and bWAR of 2.9.

Each of those statistics leads the team.

Alas, there is one key area that he has been underwhelming in thus far in 2025: high-leverage situations.

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As shared by Thomas Nestico on X, Greene is amongst the worst clutch performers in baseball this year.

Least "Clutch" Players pic.twitter.com/3JkIIjp2eO
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) June 25, 2025

His clutch score of minus-1.09 is tied for the 12th-worst in the league.

The soon-to-be two-time All-Star just so happens to be tied with one of his teammates; right fielder Kerry Carpenter.

Carpenter has had some struggles at the plate this season, especially when the team needs him most in high-leverage situations with a matching minus-1.09 clutch score.

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But he remains a consistent source of power, hitting 14 home runs with 11 doubles and one triple in 270 plate appearances.

Both sluggers are key components to manager A.J. Hinch’s game plan and are counted on to produce runs in the top half of the lineup.

Picking up their production in clutch situations will make an already dangerous team that much more difficult to defeat.

For more Tigers news, head over to Tigers On SI.

This article first appeared on Detroit Tigers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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