September 20: Greene required Tommy John surgery, manager A.J. Hinch informed reporters (including Chris McCosky of the Detroit News). The Tigers nevertheless anticipate he’ll be ready for Spring Training. Notably, Greene is a left-handed thrower, so the procedure was on his non-throwing arm.
September 19: Outfielder Riley Greene will undergo what the Tigers described as a “surgical intervention” on his ailing right elbow tomorrow, according to a team announcement. Greene has been on the 10-day injured list due to elbow inflammation since September 2, though today’s announcement referred to the injury as a sprain.
The exact nature of the procedure isn’t known, as while it will surely bring Greene’s 2023 season to an official end, it isn’t yet known if he’ll be ready for the start of Spring Training. As noted by multiple Tigers beat writers, the surgery appears to be somewhat exploratory in nature, so Greene’s status won’t be known until doctors have had a chance to access and repair whatever damage exists.
Between the elbow problem and a stress reaction in his left fibula earlier this season, Greene has been limited to 99 games and 416 plate appearances in his second MLB season. When healthy, however, Greene showed some of the form that made him the fifth overall pick of the 2019 draft. Greene hit .288/.349/.447 with 11 home runs and 51 runs scored, as well as seven stolen bases in as many attempts. A .384 BABIP surely contributed to this production, but Greene also made plenty of hard contact, and his .344 wOBA was notably lower than his .363 xwOBA. His public defensive metrics in center field were below average, and while better health might improve Greene’s glovework wherever he plays in 2024, his eventual destination might be a corner outfield spot.
The hope is obviously that Greene’s elbow problem isn’t overly serious, and that the recovery process won’t eat up much of his regular offseason work and preparation for next year. While the Tigers are headed for another losing season, things have somewhat turned around in Motown after their thoroughly dismal 2022 campaign. Many of the team’s young pitchers have returned from the injuries that marred the 2022 season, and Greene, Spencer Torkelson, and Kerry Carpenter have provided some spark to a lineup that still figures to be an offseason focus for improvement.
In other Tigers injury news, Alex Faedo was placed on the 15-day IL due to a blister on his right middle finger. Faedo might be able to pitch again this season since his placement is retroactive to September 16, but it seems likelier that the righty might be done for 2023. Faedo has a 4.45 ERA over 64 2/3 innings this season, starting 12 of his 15 games and moving into a multi-inning inning relief role in September.
Great. Greene is a fine player. His career has been one injury after another. Hope this isn’t the trend.
He’s definitely a bright spot on the Tigers. Yes, injured often, which is disappointing. Great swing.
Was it Tenex? It’s a surgical procedure for tennis elbow to repair a tear
A man is chatting up a blonde in the Golf club bar and noticed she keeps looking at the golf balls in his pocket. “Golf balls” he says. The blonde asks “Is that like tennis elbow?”
They don’t make them like that no more
Hopefully Greene comes back strong next year or thstll be a hole in the lineup they cant afford.
Faedo must have been using his middle finger too much…
Always ”next year”.
His running differered in 2o23 than in the minor leagues, like he was gingerly traversing broken glass in his bare feet. It’s just as if recently he had broken his foot and then his leg.
Tiger Luck.
Correct observation. I think he was babying his shin after the “stress fracture,” er, uh “stress reaction.” The offseason will be a good chance to recover. Hopefully the elbow isn’t too bad. He will be injury prone because of his “never quit” attitude. I wouldn’t want him to settle for anything less.
Stop diving, the out wasn’t worth it.
I may be wrong, but Faedo seemed better out of the bullpen.
6 innings 8K 2BB 1 hit coming out of the bullpen. Two pitch guy.
I’m guessing he will have a third pitch by spring training. He wants to start.
I agree Troy Van. He does have a change up as well, but i dont think he always has a feel for it. I think he would be lethal coming out of the pen.
If Greene can get all fixed up he is in line to have a nice career. Tigers have a good one in Riley.
As it stands before the off season:
LF, Greene
CF, MEADOWS
RF, CARPENTER
1B, TORKELSON
SS, BAEZ
C, ROGERS
Staying within the org.
3B, Keith/Vierling
DH, Malloy
2B, Ibanez/McKinstry
They need a 2nd C, too.
Parker Meadows still hasn’t proved that he can hit well enough to stick in the majors. The defense and base running is impressive.
He didn’t say which Meadows…
Still only 105 mlb at bats. Was probably the best player in spring training
What happened to Nick Maton?
What happened is that he couldn’t hit and couldn’t field. As he is a HARRIS acquisition, he’ll get another look in spring training.
The Tigers have a pretty impressive young core coming to fruition. Riley Greene is turning into a fantastic hitter and if he can stay healthy will be a force to be reckoned with.
I suspect the Tigers to surprise in the Central next year and to compete with the Twins who also have a young core on the rise.
Though it’s improved markedly this year, the Tigers’ offense is still their weakness…..hope they can find some kind of middle-of-the-order guy in the offseason. Hope Riley gets healthy soon, too!
Austin Jackson was very pedestrian, never great, because he refused to layout for catches or really take any risks with his game. Riley Greene is the antithesis to Jackson. I hope Greene takes judo and learns how to hit the ground with controlled grace so we can watch him become a gold glove, maybe silver slugger left fielder.
I was at the game when this latest injury happened. Even the White Sox fans around me applauded that catch. It was fun to watch. Then the Tigers come up and there’s a rookie taking his place in the lineup. So it goes.
Hopefully, Greene can have a completely injury-free 2024 season. He deserves it.
How many guys tear their UCL in their non-throwing arm by diving for a fly ball? I mean, Harper did it in his throwing arm. Tiger catcher, Rogers, tore his throwing arm UCL too. But tearing the non-throwing arm UCL by landing on the ground? Most guys will dislocate their shoulder. Or maybe break a wrist. But no….Riley Greene needs TJ surgery in the non-throwing arm.
How much you want to bet he will tear his throwing arm….you know the one you’re suppose to tear….UCL in the next couple of years.
I love the kid but he is a walking, talking version of the disabled list.
Whew! I Initially read Riley Gaines
Jim Abbott player without a catching arm. Not a big deal. All he does is catch with it and swing a bat. Jim Abbott hit with one arm
Too bad. He was starting to break out.
Stop lifting weights that are too heavy for.your body.
It is really as simple as that.
Weight lifting training for Olympic weight lifters is probably not good for baseball players.
And of course, the temptation is to show off or be competitive…with weight lifting…..idiots.
Train for.baseball
…not.golf, not basketball, not.weightlifting……
Baseball.
The Tigers SHOULD put a limit on the amount of weight they allow a player or players to train with.
They are jocks and should NOT be allowed to make these important decisions…….