Tigers Make Unexpected Riley Greene Decision Before Twins Game

Tigers Make Unexpected Riley Greene Decision Before Twins Game originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Detroit Tigers have struggled as a team since the All-Star break, posting a 7–10 record after entering the second half with the most wins in MLB.

Much of that has been due to the offense failing to produce, averaging just 3.9 runs per game in the second half—21st in the league—and a big part of that can be attributed to star outfielder Riley Greene struggling to find his groove at the plate.

The team still sits at 66–48 and holds a comfortable 8.0-game lead over the second-place Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central, but if Detroit wants to make it past the divisional series this year, Greene will need to figure things out offensively.

Tigers Bench Riley Greene Despite Favorable Matchup

Ahead of the second game of a three-game set against the Minnesota Twins, the lineup cards were announced, and Tigers manager A.J. Hinch elected to bench Greene in favor of Jahmai Jones, who will start in left field.

The move is unexpected given that right-handed starter Zebby Matthews will pitch for Minnesota, and Jones is also a right-handed batter—meaning Greene, a lefty, would typically be the better option both in terms of platoon advantage and overall talent.

No reasoning has been given for Greene’s absence yet.

game 115 ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/VQtxSF467L

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) August 5, 2025

Slumping Greene Still Key to Tigers’ Playoff Hopes

On the season, Greene has appeared in 111 games for Detroit, posting a .269 batting average, .822 OPS, 26 home runs, and 84 RBIs.

He was selected to represent the Tigers in the All-Star Game for a second consecutive season. The 24-year-old was drafted by Detroit in the first round of the 2019 MLB Draft and debuted in 2021, quickly emerging as a face of the franchise.

The decision to bench Greene most likely stems from his disappointing production in the second half. Over his last 12 games, he’s 10-for-50 with 18 strikeouts and a .516 OPS. Although his track record suggests he’s the better option, Hinch may have decided to give Greene a mental break to help reset ahead of a potential postseason run.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 5, 2025, where it first appeared.