Five Hottest Detroit Tigers Hitters Through First 10 Spring Training Games
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The Detroit Tigers have a realistic path to winning the American League Central in 2025.
To do that, they will need more out of their offense, which ranked a well below average 20th in runs scored per contest last year.
The Tigers don't need a major spike from their 4.21 runs scored per game to return to the postseason, but they do need more from their lineup.
No one should overreact to spring training statistics, but with 10 games now in the books it's worth taking a look at who is doing well.
Thankfully for Detroit, two pillars in the heart of their order are off to strong starts this spring.
Left fielder Riley Greene has only appeared in only four of their first 10 spring games, but he's slashing .333/.500/.778 over those contests. He has three hits in his nine at-bats, including a homer and a double while adding three walks.
Greene is just 24 years old, yet he's already the most important player in the Tigers' lineup.
In fact, if anyone in Detroit is going to even flirt with an MVP-caliber year, it's Greene.
On the downside, all six of the outs he has made this spring have come by way of strikeout.
Designated hitter Kerry Carpenter is off to a very strong start this spring, hitting .400 with a homer and three runs batted in. He has six hits over his first 15 at-bats.
Greene is expected to hit third while Carpenter will likely man the cleanup spot on Opening Day.
The Tigers selected catcher Dillon Dingler with the No. 38 overall pick in the 2020 MLB draft. He's off to an excellent start hitting .308 with a homer, two doubles and five runs batted in over 13 at-bats. Dingler is slated to back up veteran Jake Rogers behind the dish, but if the former second-round pick continues to produce at this clip, he could push Rogers for more playing time.
Outfielder Ben Malgeri currently leads the team with a .556 batting average and seven RBI. The 25-year-old is not expected to make the Opening Day roster, but injuries to outfielders Parker Meadows and Matt Vierling could change that.
If Malgeri continues to produce at this pace, he'll make it tough for management to leave him in the minors.
First baseman Colt Keith has six hits in 16 at-bats for a .375 average over six spring games. He's projected to hit in the fifth slot behind Greene and Carpenter when the games start to count.
Detroit would like to see more from a number of their key hitters, but the middle of their order is doing their job early this spring.
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Ryan Reynolds has worked in sports media since 2019, where he’s primarily covered the NFL. He got his start writing for Evan Silva and Adam Levitan’s Establish the Run where Ryan became an authority on NFL awards markets. Ryan recently served as an Associate Director and content headliner for former NFL executives Joe Banner and Mike Tannenbaum at The 33rd Team. Ryan has also made multiple guest appearances on Fantasy Sports Radio on SiriusXM and VSiN. Outside of sports Ryan has a bachelor’s degree in accounting, graduating with honors from the University of Minnesota. He now has nearly a decade’s worth of experience in management. You can find Ryan on X @RyanReynoldsNFL or email him at RyanReynoldsNFL@gmail.com.