The Detroit Tigers, once leading the Major League Baseball season, fell sharply in recent weeks, losing 12 of 13 games and slipping out of playoff positioning. Facing this downward spiral, Riley Greene made a surprising change by shaving his beard into a mustache before last Sunday’s game, aiming to reverse the team’s fortunes through this unconventional act. The “Riley Greene lucky mustache effect” has since taken hold as the Tigers have won three straight games following the change.

Key Moments From the Tigers’ Recent Victories

The Tigers sealed their third consecutive win during Tuesday night’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Greene contributed significantly, recording his first career game with three extra-base hits, including a home run and two doubles. Notably, Gleyber Torres, who was seen rubbing Greene’s mustache for luck, hit an opposite-field home run. Meanwhile, Wencel Perez narrowly missed the cycle with a home run and added two stolen bases, energizing the team’s offense considerably.

After the game, Greene admitted the mustache’s appearance was far from stylish but readily accepted the trade-off for success, stating,

“It’s not a good look. But if it means winning, then I’ll keep it.”

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch highlighted the mustache’s team-wide influence, noting,

“I’m not sure how that’s going to go over with quotes around it. Then in the handshake line, he said, ‘We’re 3-0 with it.’”

The Mustache’s Role Moving Forward and Fan Reactions

As Detroit prepares to complete its sweep of Arizona on Wednesday, Greene has committed to maintaining the mustache until the team suffers a loss. Despite his doubts about its appearance, he sees the facial hair as a minor sacrifice that united the team and halted their losing streak. Should the streak continue, the phenomenon is expected to extend to fans, who may start sporting mustaches in solidarity, adding a unique and hopeful element to the Tigers’ atmosphere.