What’s Driving Riley Greene’s Terrific Season for Tigers

Detroit Tigers left fielder Riley Greene celebrates after a two-run home run. Brett Davis-Imagn Images

What’s Driving Riley Greene’s Terrific Season for Tigers

Originally posted on Detroit Tigers on SI
By Zion Trammel | Last updated May 21, 2026 7:00 PM ET

The Detroit Tigers are in the middle of a sluggish stretch of baseball. They have a 4-15 record in May and have dropped to a shocking 20-31 record. For a team with high aspirations after two consecutive playoff berths, the Tigers need to figure things out quickly.

A common thread is the offensive shortcomings. Since May 4th, Detroit's offense has scored four or more runs just three times. In an important series against their division rival, the Cleveland Guardians, the lineup produced a total of eight runs on 23 hits in four games. That's simply unacceptable.

However, outfielder Riley Greene has overcome the offense's woes. He's had a tremendous start to the year, slashing .326/.422/.475 (all team-highs) with four home runs and 24 RBIs. Here are a couple of reasons for Greene's success.

Greene is Hitting Left-Handed Pitching Much Better

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MLB Network's Mark DeRosa did a seven-minute breakdown on Greene's approach and what's contributing to his early-season success. A big reason is his success against left-handed pitching. Managers are always looking for guys who can stay in the lineup regardless of the pitching matchup, and Greene is making his case.

In 2024-25, Greene had 352 plate appearances against lefties. He slashed .216/.279/.375 with 69 hits and 10 home runs. This season, over 59 plate appearances, Greene is slashing .362/.491/.531 with 17 hits and an impressive 11 walks. Obviously, the sample sizes are drastically different, but the approach has been noticeably better.

If he can continue to hit left-handed pitching at this rate, Greene is due for an All-Star-level season. But DeRosa also noted one area that the 25-year-old is improving in as well.

Greene's Plate Discipline Has Improved

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Greene's plate discipline was a massive topic of discussion heading into the season. Last year, he was second in the league in strikeouts (201). His chase percentage was sitting at 31.1 percent. However, his metrics have all improved this year.

According to Baseball Savant, Greene's chase percentage has taken a near seven percent dip (24.2%). His walk percentage (13.8) improved by 6.8, and his swing percentage (43.3) decreased by 9.2. Those are astonishing year-to-year differences.

This element of his game turns Greene from a solid player to an elite hitter who can carry a lineup. While the numbers haven't produced many wins for Detroit lately, his consistent production will eventually make a big impact. In a season full of many low points, Greene hasn't been one of them, and hopefully he can sustain this run over the course of the year.

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

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