Kevin McGonigle’s rookie year has been the kind that gets a front office excited. The Detroit Tigers infielder has piled up enough offense to put himself in the American League Rookie of the Year conversation. But the glove has been a different story, and the Tigers are at the point where they need to make his life simpler.
McGonigle has bounced between shortstop and third base this season, and the results on defense have been uneven enough to raise a real question about his best path forward. A costly mistake against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night helped set up Munetaka Murakami’s three-run home run, the swing that ended up winning the game for Chicago.
McGonigle also committed an error in that contest. It was only the latest example of the same issue showing up in different spots.
The raw numbers tell the story clearly enough. He has 10 errors at third base and 9 at shortstop, giving him 19 total errors, which is tied for the fifth-most in the majors this season.
If you prefer a different measuring stick, Outs Above Average paints a softer picture, grading him as only slightly below average at both positions. Even so, the overall takeaway does not really change: too much shuffling has not helped him settle in.
Third base looks like the cleanest answer right now. It would give McGonigle one spot to own, one set of reps to build on, and a chance to get comfortable without the nightly juggling act. Shortstop could still be in his future, especially once Javier Báez is no longer on the team, but for now the Tigers would be smart to let him plant himself at third.
That matters beyond this season, too. If McGonigle is ever going to make a run at an AL MVP award, the offensive production alone may not be enough.
He does not project as a 40-homer bat, so his value will have to come from a strong all-around game, including top-tier work at his position. If he can become a reliable defender while keeping the bat where it is, that combination could make him a different kind of star.
Detroit has been searching for stability at third base for years, cycling through options without finding a long-term answer. McGonigle looks like the most promising one they’ve had in a while.
Now the Tigers need the defense to catch up with the bat, and the easiest way to get there is to leave him in one place. Next season should be about McGonigle staying put at third.
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