A.J. Hinch Makes Riley Greene Decision Ahead of Game 2 vs. Guardians
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The Detroit Tigers finally beat their AL Central rivals, the Cleveland Guardians, for the first time in 2026 on Tuesday night, improving to 59-60 on the season. Now one game under .500, the Tigers have a chance to reach that mark for the first time since May 4.
According to MLB.com's Jason Beck, the victory was Detroit's first time beating the Guardians at Comerica Park since Tarik Skubal's two-hit, 13-strikeout shutout on May 25, 2025. Additionally, it's their first win over Tanner Bibee since July 10, 2024.
On Wednesday night, Detroit has an opportunity to win its first series against Cleveland this season, but they will have to do it without their three-time All-Star, Riley Greene.
In his first at-bat of the game, Greene was hit hard on the shin but shooed off trainers and jogged to first base. Spencer Torkelson would then rip a double into the left-centerfield gap, forcing Greene to cross home plate and give Detroit a 1-0 lead. However, that would be the last time fans saw Greene in the game.
A.J. Hinch's Decision on Greene
As reported by the franchise, Greene exited the game and was being evaluated due to right hamstring tightness, likely from running the bases. Following the Tigers' victory, manager A.J. Hinch was asked about Greene, and Hinch gave the unfortunate news for fans going to the ballpark Wednesday.
"We'll look at him tomorrow. When the lineup comes out, he's not going to be in it. I'm not even going to consider it, but we'll see. Hopefully it's a day-to-day thing, and if not, then we'll have a different report," Hinch said via his postgame.
For Detroit's sake, losing Greene for any prolonged period would derail all momentum the franchise has built since the beginning of June. Greene might not have been hitting well at the plate, holding a .214 batting average in August, but he's a mainstay in the lineup that nobody wants on the injured list.
Luckily, the Tigers found a way to win without Greene, but for a potential playoff push, they're going to need him. Ben Malgeri replaced Greene in the top of the fourth inning, so he could be an option for the starting lineup in the outfield, if not James Outman, who came in to play right field in the later innings.
One thing Hinch does know for game two against Cleveland is that Framber Valdez will be taking the mound, looking to continue his string of strong starts (1.29 ERA in August).
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Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.