The Tigers have plenty to sort out this offseason, and Kerry Carpenter sits right in the middle of one of the biggest questions. Detroit has to decide what its 2027 lineup looks like, and Carpenter’s hold on the right field/designated hitter mix is no longer as secure as it once seemed.
Carpenter has been one of the club’s most recognizable power bats since his debut in 2023. His early production gave Detroit plenty to build on: six homers in 31 games during his rookie year in 2022, then a jump to 20 home runs in 2023. Since 2024, he has added 57 more long balls to the total, which is why his long-term place in the lineup still matters.
But 2026 changed the conversation. Carpenter played in just 81 games, hit 13 home runs, struck out 75 times against 18 walks, and finished with a -0.6 WAR after posting marks in the 1.8-2.2 WAR range in the previous years. It was a step back by any measure, and it left more questions than answers heading into the winter.
Detroit’s roster picture makes the situation even more complicated. Eduardo Valencia has emerged as a strong designated hitter option who can handle both righties and lefties, while Zach McKinstry and Ben Malgeri have provided strong defense in right field. That gives Carpenter a narrower path unless he can reclaim some of the form that once made him such an important middle-of-the-order piece.
Valencia’s 2026 season earned him a place on the 2027 roster, but Carpenter still has a route to playing time if Valencia ends up as the backup catcher instead of locking down the DH spot. The bat remains the selling point for Carpenter, even if his outfield defense still needs work.
His 2025 season showed exactly why the Tigers have been willing to keep investing in him. Carpenter set a career high with 26 home runs and was the most clutch hitter in the lineup during the regular season and the playoffs. In eight postseason games in 2025, he hit two home runs and batted .281 with seven walks.
The issue in 2026 was that the power mostly disappeared outside of April and June. Shoulder and foot injuries played a part, and those ailments eventually ended his season. If Carpenter wants to regain trust from the organization and the fanbase, staying on the field has to be the first step.
There is at least some encouraging news on that front. According to an MLB.com report, Carpenter had already started ramping up his running and hitting progression before the season ended, putting him on track to be ready for spring if there is no lockout tied to the expiring collective bargaining agreement.
A.J. Hinch already shortens Carpenter’s nights when a left-handed pitcher comes into the game, so the Tigers are not exactly treating him like an every-day, no-questions-asked fixture right now. If Carpenter can get healthy before spring training and show he can hit both righties and lefties, he has a much better chance of claiming the everyday right field job.
If not, Detroit has other options. Malgeri could slide into a fourth outfielder role and provide late-inning defense, while Valencia still offers multiple ways to fit into the starting lineup. And with Zyhir Hope gaining momentum into the next season, Carpenter’s grip on the job could loosen even more depending on how things develop.
Carpenter is under team control until 2029, so the Tigers do not need to rush a decision. But they do need to get the most out of his bat while they still have him, because his future role is suddenly one of the offseason’s most interesting questions.
In Other News...
Tigers Offseason Hopes Just Ran Into A Tough New Reality
The Tigers entered the offseason with the kind of flexibility most teams would envy, and Scott Harris did little to disguise how he plans to use it. In a press conference, the Detroit president of baseball operations made clear the club is likely to steer away from major free-agent deals that come with long terms and hefty average annual values, a practical note that narrows the field even before the market really takes shape. It also puts a different lens on the names fans immediately start circling when a team has money to spend.
Seiya Suzuki, Adrian Morejon and Randy Arozarena all surfaced in the conversation, but each comes with some version of the same problem for Detroit: age, fit or roster need makes the match feel less likely by the time 2027 rolls around. The Tigers still figure to be active, especially with several big contracts coming off the books, but the front office seems intent on keeping the next wave of spending aligned with its longer-term plan rather than chasing the loudest names available. [Read more 🡒]
Tarik Skubal Talk Is Forcing Tigers Fans Into A Brutal Reality
Tarik Skubals final start for the Tigers on July 29 did more than close out another outing on the mound. It pushed Detroit fans into the uncomfortable place every small-market club eventually fears, where a homegrown star starts to feel less like a long-term anchor and more like a luxury the market may not allow the team to keep. With free agency ahead, the conversation around Skubal has quickly become about fit, money, and whether Detroit is prepared to move into the same bidding lane as the sports biggest spenders.
Around the league, the Dodgers are being viewed as the early favorite, helped by their financial muscle and an existing relationship with Skubal. The Mets have also been mentioned as a possible contender, but the Tigers side of the picture is the hard part to ignore, with management appearing unlikely to put forth a contract that matches what this market could demand. For a fan base that has watched Skubal develop into one of the franchises most important arms, the looming question is no longer whether he matters, but whether Detroit can realistically hold onto him. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Suddenly Have A Kevin McGonigle Decision That Could Shape The Infield
Kevin McGonigle gave the Tigers exactly the kind of rookie season that can change a teams thinking overnight. Playing mostly at shortstop and third base, he held his own on defense while also providing the kind of offense that makes a young infielder hard to take out of the lineup, and his overall profile only added to the sense that Detroit has some real options here.
McGonigle is viewed as an average defender at both spots, with room to improve, which leaves the Tigers with some flexibility as they map out his future role. The larger question now is how they balance his best position against the shape of the rest of the infield, especially with McGonigle already looking like a leading candidate for the 2026 AL Rookie of the Year award. [Read more 🡒]