Looking at the Detroit Tigers roster, it is clear the franchise has built a team capable of making a deep October run. The American League race is wide open, with the Tigers helping set the pace. Still, there are a few concerns for the franchise, including the middle of the order showing up when it matters most. This group is yet to face the pressures of the postseason, and when looking at an important tone setter who will help determine how far the group can go, one name stands out.
Slugger Riley Greene had an incredible start to the 2025 season before hitting a rough patch over the last two months. The veteran hit .360 in June, continuing to pile up power numbers. This took a huge step back in July with the slugger hitting .213 before completely cratering in August to manage a .183 average. Still, Greene is an incredibly important piece and must find a way to get back on track if the Tigers are going to make a deep postseason run.
Greene is still consistently in the middle of the lineup and is being given trust for the first three months of the season. With this in mind, Greene's final two months will go a long way in deciding how far the Tigers will go.
Tigers Slugger Riley Greene Must Get Back on Track to Spark Postseason Run
This doesn't mean the veteran slugger must reach the heights he did halfway through the season, but the numbers must return to career norms. Greene is such an important piece in the middle of the Tiger lineup, not setting the tone but protecting the more consistent hitters in front of him.
Dividing the hitter's numbers into the first and second half makes the concerning drop all the clearer, with 24 homers and a .284 average compared to five homers and a .202 average in the second half. That's without mentioning how he paces the Majors with 163 strikeouts.
For a career .267 hitter, this is an obvious concern and a huge drop in production. It is far from a hot take to point out that Greene must return to normal for the Tigers to make an October run.
The needed bullpen arms and rotation are in place; the offense simply needs Greene to return to form and the rest of the lineup to continue to produce. If this happens, there is zero reason not to believe the Tigers are capable of making a surprise World Series run.