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Riley Greene of the Detroit Tigers feels “comfortable” after his injury

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CHICAGO – Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene is feeling strong again after returning from the injured list.

His swing looks powerful again.

The 23-year-old, who has been out for more than three weeks with a strained right thigh, stepped off the team plane in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, put on his workout clothes for the MLB Little League Classic and played in Sunday's game against the New York Yankees, his first appearance since late July.

“It was cool to have the opportunity to be around those kids and spend time with them,” Greene said of his interactions with the Little League players. “This is the future – think about it. I was just answering their questions and having fun with them.”

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Greene finished 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Yankees at Journey Bank Ballpark in historic Bowman Field. The results were less important than how he felt on the field, particularly the feel of his legs.

In late July, Greene went 0 for 10 with six strikeouts in three games against the Cleveland Guardians before landing on the injured list.

His swing looked weak in these games.

“In Cleveland, I felt like the lower half of my body was shut down and I was just using my whole upper body,” Greene said. “Stuff was flying out and I wasn't even touching the ball. Now that my legs are back under me and my hamstrings are feeling better, I can lift my legs up again and I feel comfortable doing it.”

The rehab process after straining his right hamstring was more mentally demanding than physically. He played in two games during his rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo.

“It was really just confidence,” Greene said. “I knew I had done everything I needed to do strength-wise and it felt good, but mentally it was like I didn't want to do anything again, so it was really just mental confidence.”

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Greene, a first-time All-Star, has a .261 batting average with 17 home runs, 51 walks and 111 strikeouts in 102 games in his third MLB season in 2024. He is the Tigers' best outfielder.

The Tigers will monitor Greene's workload.

“We'll be paying attention to how he's doing,” manager AJ Hinch said. “He's rehabbed and ready to go. I think he'll just need a couple of games to gain confidence and get the experience. … We'll ease him in slowly. … We'll keep an eye on his return to the big leagues from a physical standpoint, but the hamstring is healed and he's ready to go.”

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Justyn-Henry Malloy is kicked out

After the Little League Classic, the Tigers sent designated hitter Justyn-Henry Malloy to Triple-A Toledo, bringing the active roster back to 26 players.

The Tigers want Malloy, a below-average defender, to continue his development at the outside corner positions.

“I didn't want him to feel like he did something wrong,” Hinch said. “He's had some really good at-bats. … He can't just sit on the bench or be a designated hitter. We're going to get him a lot of time in the outfield.”

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The 24-year-old spent 37 of his 57 games with the Tigers as a designated hitter. He played just 20 games in left field, including just 14 times in his first 51 games.

The Tigers could bring Malloy, who hit .217 and had an OPS of .698, back into the team when their roster expands from 26 to 28 players on Sept. 1.

“We're all hoping he'll be back sooner rather than later,” Hinch said, “and roster expansion could be an option. Of course, we can't guarantee anything. The work between now and whenever has to happen not only in the batter's box, but also in both corners of the outfield.”

Reese Olson and Wenceel Pérez on the way to return

The Tigers plan to return right-hander Reese Olson and outfielder Wenceel Pérez – two injured players – for MLB games in the 2024 season, although only 40 days (and 37 games) remain.

Olson, who has a 3.23 ERA in 19 starts in 103 innings, has been out since July 21 with a strained right shoulder; Pérez has been out since August 10 with a strained left oblique muscle.

“We want them to have more baseball in them in September,” Hinch said. “I mean, there's a lot of things they need to do to make that happen. Casey (Mize), obviously, is rehabbing now and will continue to be out until he's ready to play (after a left hamstring strain). But we've told all three of them there's still some work to be done on the field. If anything changes, we'll let them know.”

Both players are making significant progress in their recovery this week.

Olson, 25, is scheduled to take a bullpen session at Wrigley Field on Wednesday, while Pérez, 24, is expected to begin batting practice sometime in the next three days.

“We haven’t given up hope that they can play more often in the big leagues,” Hinch said.

Contact Evan Petzold at [email protected] or follow him @EvanPetzold.

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