Detroit Tigers OFs Riley Greene, Javier Báez to start for AL in 2025 MLB All-Star Game
One Detroit Tigers outfielder being named to the 2025 American League All-Star team probably wouldn't have surprised baseball fans heading into the season. The other one, however, probably would have surprised everyone.
Tigers stars Riley Greene and Javier Báez were elected on Wednesday, July 2, to the AL's starting roster for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game — set for July 15 at Atlanta's Truist Park (8 p.m., Fox) — after finishing No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, among AL outfielders in Phase 2 voting. This is Greene's second All-Star nod, after appearing as a reserve in 2024, while this is Báez's third All-Star nod (all as starters) and first with the Tigers (with the previous two coming in the National League).
Greene and Báez beat out the other two Phase 2 finalists, Los Angeles' Mike Trout and Cleveland's Steven Kwan, hadily, receiving 33% and 26% of the vote respectively. Trout received 24% of the vote while Kwan got 17%. New York's Judge clinched an All-Star starting spot by receiving the most overall votes during Phase 1 of the All-Star vote.
The duo are set to be the first Tigers outfielders to start for the AL in the Midsummer Classic since Magglio Ordóñez did so in left field in 2007. The Tigers will also have three position players start for the first time since 2007, with Gleyber Torres getting the starting nod in Phase 2 voting at second base. They could add a fourth starter, with left-hander Tarik Skubal considered the favorite to start on the mound.
It will also be the first time two Tigers will start in the same All-Star outfield since 1976, when Ron LeFlore and Rusty Staub opened the 1976 All-Star Game in Philadelphia (with teammate Mark Fidrych on the mound) in left and right field, respectively. The 1961 Tigers also had two starting outfielders for the AL, with Rocky Colavito and Al Kaline manning left and right, respectively, in the second All-Star Game that summer. The Tigers have had two All-Star starters in the outfield one other time: 1948, with Pat Mullin in right and Hoot Evers in center.
The other AL infield starters: Toronto's Vladimir Guererro Jr. at first base, the Athletics' Jacob Wilson at shortstop, Cleveland's José Ramírez at third base, Seattle's Cal Raleigh at catcher and Baltimore's Ryan O'Hearn at designated hitter.
Greene has built upon a breakout 2024 season, entering Wednesday's play slashing .296/.348/.539 in 348 plate appearances over 83 games. Entering Wednesday's doubleheader against the Washington Nationals, he led all qualified Tigers batters in home runs (19), RBIs (63), batting average (.296) and OPS (.887).
Greene entered Wednesday third among AL outfielders in fWAR (3.0), per FanGraphs, behind only Judge and Minnesota's Byron Buxton.
Greene was Detroit's sole position player at the 2024 All-Star game, with lefty Tarik Skubal joining him on the pitching side. Skubal is expected to be selected when pitchers and reserves are named on Sunday, July 6, and could be named the AL's starting pitcher on July 14.
Finishing No. 2 in the Phase 2 of voting was Báez, who has had a renaissance at multiple positions for the Tigers in 2025. A shortstop over his first three seasons as a Tiger, Báez had 33 games in center field this season (entering Wednesday), the most of any position for the Tigers' highest-paid player.
Báez's defensive versatility has been key for a team which suffered early-season injuries from outfielders Parker Meadows, Matt Vierling and Wenceel Pérez. Despite never having played center field in the majors before 2025, Báez has put up above-average defensive value at the position according to Statcast while making highlight-reel catches.
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Báez has also put up his best offensive season while with the Tigers, entering Wednesday slashing .285/.323/.460 with nine home runs and 36 RBIs in 254 plate appearances over 71 games. That includes 2.2 bWAR (according to Baseball Reference) — more than he accumulated in his previous three years combined for the Tigers.
Báez was named an All-Star at second base in 2018 and at shortstop 2019 with the Chicago Cubs. His 2018 season was statistically his best, as he led the league with 111 RBIs and finished with an .881 OPS, finishing second in the NL MVP vote to Christian Yelich.
You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.