Why Dillon Dingler and Riley Greene Are Key to Detroit Tigers Right Now
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After a slow start, the Detroit Tigers enter play on Friday in a first-place tie with the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central division. On the backs of clutch pitching and even more clutch hitting, the Tigers have been one of the hottest teams in the American League, nearing the end of April.
As the weather heats up in Detroit, so has the Tigers' offense, as they ended yet another homestand sending the fans home happy, moving to 10-2 at Comerica Park on the season. A large portion of the success as of late has stemmed from two hitters in the heart of the Tigers' lineup.
Both catcher Dillon Dingler and outfielder Riley Greene have been driving the Detroit offense as of late. Dingler came out of the gates swinging, where it took Greene some time to heat up, but both have made their impacts known in the locker room and around the league.
Dingler Makes Tigers Franchise History
Recently posted to X (formerly Twitter) by Tigers PR, Dingler was revealed to have set a new Detroit catcher record in April, with 19 RBIs (and counting). Dingler also leads American League catchers in RBI while ranking 3rd in OPS (.854), 3rd in SLG (.513), and 4th in OBP (.341).
Dingler became a standout for Detroit last season, earning the starting catcher role over Jake Rogers, and it seems like he's continuing to come into his own. He's making hard contact, playing elite defense, and has set a new standard for what it means to be a catcher for the Tigers.
Riley Greene Building Third Straight All-Star Caliber Season
Greene is starting to heat up, hitting .400 at the plate over the last seven games. On top of the stellar batting average, Greene has hit one home run, driven in four RBIs, and walked six times. When Riley Greene is on, the Detroit Tigers are on.
On the season, Greene now has two home runs with 16 RBIs and holds a .289 batting average and a .841 OPS. He might not be hitting the ball out of the ballpark as much as he did in April of 2025, but Greene has been a force to be reckoned with at the plate.
His 141 wRC+ ranks 13th among outfielders, and his 0.7 fWAR ranks 17th among outfielders, both according to DataBase Hit on X. Stats like this might go under the radar to some fans, but it's proof that Greene is starting to become a true star in Major League Baseball.
As long as both Greene and Dingler continue to heat up the Tigers' offense on the road this season, Detroit will develop into a formidable all-around team. Many see this franchise returning to the playoffs for the third straight season, and breaking away in the standings now is only a good sign.
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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.