DETROIT — On Sept. 1, Riley Greene sauntered into the Detroit Tigers’ clubhouse with an announcement.
“Today’s a good day,” Greene said loudly. “August is over.”
That’s a taste of both the subtle self-deprecation and undying enthusiasm Greene has brought to the Tigers nearly every day this season. The All-Star outfielder had returned from the injured list and hit just .205 in 11 August games. He is his own biggest critic but also embodies a saying Tigers coaches have been preaching since spring training: Bring your own energy.
Each day before batting practice, Tigers hitters gather with the coaching staff for a meeting. Manager A.J. Hinch says Greene is often at the center of these summits, whether it’s breaking down an opposing pitcher, talking about a game plan or simply being a fulcrum in the conversation.
“He’s a magnet,” Hinch said. “I think him emerging as an All-Star and maintaining the same personality has been fun to watch.”
Greene propelled himself to that All-Star status earlier this year and now has a team-best 21 home runs and leads all Detroit position players with 3.5 fWAR. One of his greatest contributions, though, may be more unseen. It’s that constant energy, the upbeat vibe that has helped rescue the Tigers from the moors of midsummer. On a young team now battling back into the playoff conversation, Greene is the primary power source in more ways than one.
“Defense, offense, all-around player,” catcher Jake Rogers said. “He brings energy. He’s kind of the player you want on a team. I think any team would be thankful to have him.”
During games, Greene perches atop a raised platform near the dugout steps, standing alongside the hitting coaches. This is his spot every time. Greene does this for a couple of reasons. One, he is closest to the field and engaged in the action. Secondly, being close to the coaches allows him to be more engaged and locked in on the opposing pitcher.
“My team in high school was, like, a rah-rah team,” Greene said. “They were always screaming, and yelling. I’m not doing that here, but I’m just trying to stay positive for the guys and cheer them on when I can and learn some stuff, too, while I’m doing it.”
Greene may not want the cheerleader label, but he tends to be the loudest and most exuberant presence in Detroit’s dugout, and that is not accidental. It’s easy to score five runs and then start coasting, Greene said. That’s also a recipe for disaster.
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— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) September 11, 2024
“Especially when we’re in September now, we’re all tired,” Greene said. “I’m not gonna say we’re not tired. We’re all tired. So it’s just really trying to just keep everyone going and keep the energy, keep the vibes up.”
Even when things aren’t good, Greene’s own self-criticism can draw laughs from his teammates. He’s not the type to throw a helmet or crush a cooler. But this is a player who was venting about hitting too many groundballs after 15 at-bats in spring training. When the best player on the team calls himself terrible, it eases the pressure on everyone.
“Part of that is personality, part of that is where he is in the eyes of his teammates,” Hinch said. “He brings a ton of the energy in the dugout, in and around his at-bats. The production on the field is one thing. The self-deprecation and the style in which he judges himself is pretty entertaining.”
Spencer Torkelson has been playing alongside Greene for years, to the point all this is just standard fare. But not long ago Greene and Torkelson were turning instructional league intrasquad games into win-at-all-costs atmospheres. Now they’re doing it in the major leagues. Greene shrugged when asked how the Tigers turned their season around, despite being nine games under .500 in early July. He says the club never doubted themselves.
“Yeah, he fires people up,” Torkelson said. “Same old Greeney.”
Wednesday against the Rockies, Greene was well-prepared for his first at-bat against Colorado starter Tanner Gordon. On a 2-2 count, he pulled a belt-high changeup over the right field wall. He trotted around the bases as his team took another early lead en route to a 7-4 victory, the Tigers’ fourth win in a row. He pointed toward the sky as he touched home plate and hoisted the Tigers’ celebratory pizza spear in the dugout.
Then, just as Greene caught his breath and reclaimed his perch along the dugout railing, Kerry Carpenter slapped a triple down the right-field line that scored Matt Vierling.
Greene was there, leaning over the green padding, shouting and waving his arm in a swirling vortex. Now here in September, things could not be much better for Greene and the Tigers.
(Photo of Greene: Nic Antaya / Getty Images)
