The Detroit Tigers have been on a brutal 4-12 skid since Riley Greene went down with a strained right hamstring, watching their playoff odds crater to low single-digits. Now, their star left fielder is finally back on a rehab assignment, but his return creates a whole new dynamic for a surprising rookie who has been absolutely lighting it up.
Greene’s Road Back From Hamstring Hell
Greene, one of Detroit’s best hitters with an .816 OPS over 492 plate appearances, hasn’t seen major league action since he exited the August 11 game against the Cleveland Guardians. He was slapped on the 10-day IL on August 12, and the Tigers’ offense has sputtered without him. We finally saw him back on the field Saturday, August 29, in a Triple-A Toledo rehab game in St. Paul. He led off as the designated hitter, going 0-for-4 with a strikeout. Not exactly a fireworks show, but manager A.J. Hinch said “everything’s good” after Greene’s turns at the plate.
The real test comes Sunday in St. Paul, when Greene is scheduled to play a partial game in left field. Hinch is clear on the plan: “If he doesn’t get a ball, then he’s not really extending himself. He runs after [the ball] in the gap a couple of times, we’re going to pay attention to that and see how he’s doing.” It’s all about making sure that hamstring is 100% before he steps back into a big league uniform. The Tigers hope to get him back as early as Tuesday’s game against the Minnesota Twins, with Hinch noting “All encouraging signs that he’s passed every test imaginable, with the exception of volume.”
The Rookie Who Stepped Up: Brett Callahan
While Greene has been sidelined, rookie outfielder Brett Callahan has seized his moment. This lefty has been an absolute spark plug, racking up seven hits and three extra-base hits over his first 10 MLB games. Remember that electric debut on August 17 when he smacked a triple on the very first pitch he saw? He hasn’t stopped, slashing an impressive .292/.333/.542 over 27 plate appearances, mostly getting plate time in platoon and pinch-hit duties against righties.
The good news for Callahan is that MLB active rosters expand from 26 to 28 players on Tuesday, September 1, which is coincidentally the same day Greene might return. This means the Tigers won’t necessarily need to make a corresponding move to clear a spot. Still, with Greene and Callahan both playing left field and hitting from the same side of the plate, you gotta wonder if Callahan’s playing time takes a hit, right? Hinch isn’t so sure, saying, “It may change the DH, I think it will spread around the at-bats that are ‘taken away’ or replaced… just don’t assume [Callahan] is not going to play.”
The Tigers travel to Minneapolis to face the Twins on Monday. All eyes will be on Greene’s outfield performance Sunday and whether he truly is available for Tuesday’s showdown. The question remains how Hinch manages to keep Callahan’s hot bat in the lineup while integrating their returning star.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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