Can Detroit Tigers Convince Emerging Star to Sign Contract Extension?

The Detroit Tigers unexpectedly arrived on the scene as a playoff team during the 2024 season, going on an unprecedented run in the second half.

It wasn’t an achievement anyone saw coming, especially after they were sellers at the trade deadline and faced a double-digit game deficit in the standings to overcome.

The Tigers are now looking to cement their status as not only a playoff contender in the American League but a team that can compete for a World Series soon.

Given the impressive core that has been put together at the Major League level and the highly-touted prospects making their way through the minor league system, Detroit is going to be playing a lot of October baseball.

One of the foundational pieces that the Tigers should be building around in their lineup is left fielder Riley Greene.

The No. 5 pick in the 2019 MLB Draft has begun living up to the lofty expectations that come with being selected so early.

He quickly moved through the minor leagues, making his MLB debut in 2022. His production steadily increased, breaking through in 2024 at only 23 years old with his first All-Star selection.

Greene recorded a slash line of .262/.348/.479 in 137 games and 584 plate appearances. He hit 24 home runs with 27 doubles, six triples and 74 RBI. In his first two MLB seasons combined he had 16 home runs, 37 doubles, eight triples and 79 RBI.

Along with the production at the plate, he is regarded as a good defender in left field, a legitimate two-way player that teams would love to build around.

An ascending star in the game, it would make sense for Detroit to try and work out an extension with him in the near future.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com highlighted Greene as one of the player to keep an eye on in that regard in 2025 despite him not being eligible for free agency until after the 2028 campaign.

“Greene is still under control for four years, so buying out his arbitration years and potentially a free-agent year or two might be an option for Detroit,” he wrote.

Pre-arbirtration extensions aren’t something foreign to the franchise.

They agreed to a long-term deal with Colt Keith that is worth at least $28,640,500 over six years and can reach as much as $82 million over nine years before he even made his Major League debut.

If the Tigers are going to be successful in the pursuit of an extension, it likely has to come this year.

Should Greene continue on the upward path his production has been on to this point, the chances of signing an extension dwindle each passing year.

It is a similar predicament that the franchise is in with AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. Only two years away from free agency, it is hard to envision him agreeing to an extension at this point coming off the year he had and the injury concerns behind him.

Greene is a prime candidate for an extension as an emerging star just scratching the surface of his potential.

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