Detroit Tigers place Riley Greene on 10-day injured list with right hamstring strain
Evan PetzoldEntering spring training, Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene set a goal to stay healthy for the entire 2024 season.
The 23-year-old endured exactly 101 games — not including the first All-Star Game of his three-year MLB career — before suffering his fourth injury in the past three seasons.
The Tigers placed Greene on the 10-day injured list Friday with a right hamstring strain, his second leg injury in 14 months. To replace Greene, the Tigers called up outfielder Ryan Vilade from Triple-A Toledo.
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"Right hammy strain," Greene said. "It's Grade 1 or 2, whatever it is. It could have been worse, and I'm glad it's not. There's really no timeline behind it. It's just kind of based on how I'm feeling, and just go from there."
Greene has a history of leg issues.
He landed on the injured list last season from May 31 through July 7 with a left fibula stress reaction.
"It sucks," said Greene, who received treatment for his hamstring strain before Friday's game. "I want to be out there with the boys and help them win games, but it's part of it. One of my goals was not to get hurt, and I did. It happens. My spirit is still high. It's just time to get after it."
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Greene felt discomfort in his right leg Monday against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field, the Tigers' fourth game since returning from the All-Star break. He sat out Tuesday to rest his leg, then he returned to the lineup as the designated hitter Wednesday and Thursday. Greene went 0-for-10 with six strikeouts in the three games he played in Cleveland.
After Thursday's game, he underwent medical tests on his leg.
"The tests revealed a small strain in his right hamstring," manager A.J. Hinch said. "Despite him being able to do some things, we have to protect him. We're going to put him on the injured list and see if some time off can mend this faster than trying to work through it."
The Tigers entered the 2024 season with a plan to keep Greene healthy, but instead of getting off days, Greene played in 96 of the Tigers' 97 games before the All-Star break, starting in 94 of those 96 games.
On top of that, Greene has spent 25 games — including 21 starts — in center field, even though the Tigers initially planned for him to play almost exclusively in left field.
"(Matt) Vierling will continue to play center," Hinch said. "Vilade will see a game out there. Originally, one of the lineups for the weekend, I had Wenceel (Pérez) in there. I don't know if I'll stick with that, depending on how the next couple of days go. It will be a trio of guys until we can get Parker (Meadows) back at some point soon, and eventually Riley."
The right hamstring strain in late July 2024 marks Greene's fourth injury in three seasons, along with a right foot fracture in April 2022, a left fibula stress reaction in May 2023 and a right elbow sprain in September 2023. Two of those injuries — the foot fracture and the elbow sprain — required surgery.
Limited by injuries, Greene played 93 games in 2022, 99 games in 2023 and 101 games so far in 2024. He is one of the best players in baseball when healthy.
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This season, Greene is hitting .264 with 17 home runs, 51 walks and 109 strikeouts.
It has been the best season of his three-year MLB career.
"It makes me sick to my stomach because he's having such a good year," said fellow outfielder Kerry Carpenter, who has been on the injured list since late May with a lumbar spine stress fracture. "He just can't seem to find any luck with staying off the IL, so I feel sick for him. Clearly, he does everything like a professional, so he'll come back better than ever, like he has before."
Coming soon: Parker Meadows nears rehab assignment
Center fielder Parker Meadows (right hamstring strain) is gearing up for a rehab assignment in Triple-A Toledo. The 24-year-old has been participating in all baseball activities.
"I've been feeling good," Meadows said.
Meadows, who has taken swings against pitchers in live batting practice, is scheduled for another baserunning session Saturday, which could be his final test. He hasn't played in a game since July 7, when he suffered the hamstring injury.
"Not sure yet," Meadows said, when asked about a rehab assignment. "Still up in the air, but soon."
Kerry Carpenter keeps progressing
Carpenter is getting close to a rehab assignment, as well, but he is further away than Meadows.
The 26-year-old has participated in running, hitting and fielding drills in his return from a lumbar spine stress fracture.
He previously experienced a setback while running.
"I don't even know if I trust it enough yet to say I've cleared that hurdle," Carpenter said. "But I've been running harder than I ran when it kind of flared up again, and it feels good."
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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