Riley Greene Loses Surprising Tie With Shohei Ohtani in Key Stat

Well it was fun while it lasted.

Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images

Entering Tuesday, Riley Greene was tied with Shohei Ohtani as the only two players to reach base in all 16 of their team's games. His 0-for-3 evening ended the streak, but it highlights his sneaky strong start to the season.

In fact, Greene reaching base safely in sixteen consecutive games to open the season came close to setting a record. The last Tiger to have a longer such streak was Brandon Inge in 2009, who opened the season by reaching base in 24 consecutive games.

With an RBI single in the first inning, Riley Greene has now reached base safely in 15 straight games to open the season. First Tiger to do so since Brandon Inge, who reached in 24 consecutive games to open 2009.

— Evan Woodbery (@evanwoodbery) April 11, 2026

Entering Tuesday night, Tampa Bay Rays speedster Chandler Simpson was the only other player to reach base in each of his team's games, with 15. He extended the streak with a hit, leaving him and Ohtani as the only two players remaining.

If anyone is ever mentioned in the same sentence as Ohtani, the stat is going to be special. Greene's streak flew under the radar, but it showcases how he's improved this season. He may not be leading the team in homers or RBI, but he's getting on base at a high clip, and producing runs.

The Tigers slugger has only mashed one homer this season, and owns a .238 batting average, but he's found a way to get on base anyway. His five game-stint in March didn't go very well, but he's batting .262 in April so far, and has been on base nine times over his last six games.

Riley Greene Made History on Sunday, but Has Sneakily Improved This Season

Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images

Coming off a season where he walked 46 times and produced a .313 on-base percentage, knocking down the strikeouts and being more than a homer-doubles guy was an area of improvement. While the power hasn't hit yet this season, he's walking at a 12.5% clip, which is much better than his 7% last season.

Even his strikeout percentage is down to 22.7% compared to a daunting 30.7% last season, his career high. Greene has been a well-above-average hitter throughout his time in the big leagues and has greatly improved the Detroit lineup.

He's capable of playing all three outfield spots in a pinch, which is helpful in a cluttered outfield, and has posted a 119 or higher wRC+ each of the last three seasons. If Greene can continue to improve his BB/K ratio, the 25-year-old will really turn into a household name.