What Tigers' All-Star said after being yanked for pinch-hitter late in MLB playoff game
- - What Tigers' All-Star said after being yanked for pinch-hitter late in MLB playoff game
Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press October 2, 2025 at 4:33 AM
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CLEVELAND — The Detroit Tigers benched their best hitter in the biggest moment.
Runners were on the corners with one out in the seventh inning, but instead of letting Riley Greene — a two-time All-Star who swings from the left side of the plate — face left-handed reliever Tim Herrin, manager A.J. Hinch sent up pinch-hitter Jahmai Jones.
The Tigers ended up losing, 6-1, to the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday, Oct. 1, in Game 2 of the best-of-three American League wild-card series during the MLB postseason, forcing a winner-take-all Game 3.
"If you look at what Jahmai has done against lefties, we had to take the shot," Hinch said. "You saw the same game I did. Up to that point, we were at double-digit guys on base and almost all of them in scoring position. We needed the ball in play."
Tigers pitcher Will Vest reacts after recording the final out in Game 1.
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Tigers pitcher Will Vest reacts after recording the final out in Game 1.
">Tigers pitcher Will Vest reacts after recording the final out in Game 1.
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1 / 21Must-see action and passion from MLB playoffs' 2025 Wild Card SeriesTommy Edman is showered with sunflower seeds after hitting a home run during the third inning against the Reds in Game 1.
At the time, the Tigers and Guardians were tied, 1-1.
The data supports the decision.
Greene hit .218 with a .620 OPS against lefties in the regular season, while Jones hit .288 with a .970 OPS against lefties.
But what does it say about Greene that the Tigers couldn't trust their star player in the biggest moment of their biggest game?
"The pinch-hit was really more about Jahmai Jones," Hinch said. "It was not a knock on Riley. It's a competition, one-on-one, and they won a lot of them."
Greene didn't seem bothered by Hinch's decision.
"I didn't think anything," Greene said. "I trusted him. I trust in his judgment. That's about it. We're all-in all the time, and that's all of us. It doesn't stop at anyone."
JEFF SEIDEL: It's OK to scream in frustration over Tigers' Game 2 playoff loss to Guardians
In the seventh, Jones received seven curveballs in a row from Herrin with runners on the corners and one out. He failed to make contact on both of his swings, capped by a swinging strikeout on a curveball on the bottom rail of the strike zone.
The Tigers stranded both runners.
"We call him the Lefty Killer," Greene said.
Jahmai Jones strikes out swinging. #Tigers https://t.co/qqYtsDiotX pic.twitter.com/2rUvS2lUso
— Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) October 1, 2025
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In Game 2, the Tigers went 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position and stranded 15 runners. They're 2-for-23 with runners in scoring position through two games in the series.
Even worse, the Tigers are 7-for-69 with runners in scoring position — that's a .101 batting average — in seven playoff games against the Guardians over the past two years.
Greene isn't worried.
After all, the Tigers had a lot of chances.
"It's baseball," Greene said. "We were one swing away from it being a different baseball game, so it is what it is."
The problem is, the Tigers need Greene to perform like their best hitter in high-leverage situations if they want any chance at a deep October run.
Instead, Greene hit just .143 with two home runs and 17 strikeouts over his final 13 games in the regular season — falling apart in a time of need as the Tigers nearly missed the postseason as part of a historic collapse.
In Game 2 of the AL wild-card series, the Tigers couldn't count on Greene in the biggest moment, with a chance to advance to the ALDS against the Seattle Mariners.
"I have no need to really talk to Riley about it because our players know how we're built, what we're trying to do," Hinch said, "and there's immense trust amongst all of us. If I see him, I'll talk to him. He'll be in and ready to go tomorrow."
Troy Melton's 99.9 mph fastball
In a 1-1 tie, the Tigers turned to right-handed reliever Troy Melton in the eighth inning. By the end of the inning, the Guardians scored five runs for a 6-1 lead.
Melton struggles more against left-handed hitters.
The Guardians had three lefties (or switch-hitters) due up: C.J. Kayfus, Brayan Rocchio and Steven Kwan, followed by three more lefties (or switch-hitters) in Daniel Schneemann, José Ramírez and Kyle Manzardo.
Hinch explained why he chose Melton.
"Velocity and plus stuff," said Hinch, who had already used left-handed reliever Tyler Holton and right-handed reliever Kyle Finnegan. "When we got to that point, I wasn't going to go to Will (Vest). We didn't have the lead. We needed somebody to have the ball, and I love the velo against these guys."
The Guardians took a 2-1 lead on Rocchio's solo home run with two strikes and one out in the eighth inning. He hit a 99.9 mph fastball from Melton, who wanted to throw a middle-in fastball, but instead, he left the heater over the heart of the plate.
The ball landed in the right-field seats.
"It was just too much plate," Melton said. "He had seen two offspeed pitches before that, so it was the first fastball he saw. It was in but not in enough, and he was able to get a barrel to it. Good swing. Good for him."
The Guardians then piled on four more runs for a 6-1 lead, capped by Bo Naylor's three-run home run off left-handed reliever Brant Hurter. Of the five runs, four of them were charged to Melton.
You can run and you can hide, but Postseason Rocchio is inevitable.#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/fSfEf6iQTt
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) October 1, 2025
Spencer Torkelson's X-ray
First baseman Spencer Torkelson underwent an X-ray on his right foot after Wednesday's game, after a foul ball off his foot in the fourth inning.
The X-ray came back negative.
Torkelson also received a free pass in the ninth inning when Guardians right-handed reliever Cade Smith hit him in the wrist with a 96.4 mph fastball, but the Tigers aren't concerned about that.
Expect Torkelson to be in the starting lineup Thursday for Game 3.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers' Riley Greene on pinch-hit call vs Guardians
Source: “AOL Sports”
