The Tigers have a straightforward decision in front of them with Zach McKinstry: keep the glove, narrow the role.
After a rough offensive season, McKinstry’s fit as an everyday piece deserves real scrutiny. He hit .199/.288/.294 across 423 plate appearances, production that made it hard to justify another heavy dose of starts.
But Detroit doesn’t have to think about him that way. The better move is to tender him a contract for 2027 and use him as the versatile reserve he still proved he can be.
That versatility is the selling point. McKinstry moved around the infield and outfield and still provided value, even while missing out on a Gold Glove.
His American League utility Gold Glove candidacy included a Fielding Run Value of 12, according to Statcast. Texas Rangers utility player Ezequiel Duran won the award Sunday, but that doesn’t erase what McKinstry brought defensively.
For a Tigers team trying to give Kevin McGonigle, Hao-Yu Lee and Colt Keith meaningful opportunities, that kind of support matters. The idea isn’t to block the younger players. It’s to keep a reliable veteran around so the club can handle injuries, rest days and matchups without scrambling.
That’s where McKinstry still fits. A.J.
Hinch could use him to shore up the defense after grabbing a lead, plug him in when an infielder is unavailable, or pinch-hit with the comfort of knowing another spot remains covered. That kind of flexibility lets Detroit chase offense without leaving itself exposed.
The Tigers should still weigh him against other reserve options, especially younger players with upside. But upside alone doesn’t guarantee they can match McKinstry’s ability to move all over the diamond and handle the job right away.
There’s also the money to consider. MLB Trade Rumors projected a $5 million arbitration salary for McKinstry, which is an estimate, not a done deal. That’s a real investment for a bench player, so Detroit has to decide whether the defense, coverage and occasional starts are worth it.
Even if the bat doesn’t bounce back much, the case for keeping him remains strong. His recent offensive numbers don’t justify building the lineup around a rebound that hasn’t shown up yet. The smarter path is to let the players expected to carry the offense get those chances and use McKinstry where his value is clearest.
A tender would keep Detroit in control of his rights while negotiations continue. A non-tender would send him to free agency.
Under MLB’s current offseason calendar, that call has to come by Nov. 20.
The Tigers can keep evaluating the bench and the trade market, but McKinstry still gives them something useful: dependable defensive coverage around a younger core. That’s enough reason to bring him back, even if the role looks different next year.
In Other News...
Tigers Clubhouse Concern Feels Bigger Than A Bad Stretch
The Tigers have spent enough time around the top of the conversation this season that the focus has started to drift from the box score to the room behind it. Cody Stavenhagens read on the clubhouse is a reminder that team identity is not just built on talent or manager speak, but on the daily energy players bring to one another. In his view, Detroit has felt more corporate than vibrant, a quieter environment than the kind that can carry a club through the grind of a long season.
What makes that observation linger is the contrast with a Brewers clubhouse that Stavenhagen described as more lively and connected. The Tigers have plenty of quieter personalities, but the bigger concern is the absence of a clear voice pulling everyone in the same direction. If the mood stays flat, it can affect cohesion and motivation in ways that dont always show up immediately, which is why this feels like more than just a bad stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin McGonigle Could Deliver A Huge Bonus For The Tigers
Kevin McGonigles first season in the majors already gave the Tigers plenty to feel good about, and now it has put him in the running for one of the leagues top rookie honors. The Detroit infielder was nominated for American League Rookie of the Year after a debut year that included a 7.1 WAR, 18 home runs, a .278 batting average and 28 doubles, production that quickly made him one of the most prominent young players in the league.
McGonigle will be up against Parker Messick of the Cleveland Guardians and Payton Tolle of the Boston Red Sox, with the winner set to be announced on Nov. 9. For Detroit, the award race carries a little extra weight beyond the individual recognition, because a victory would also bring the club an additional draft pick through the Prospect Promotion Incentive. [Read more 🡒]
Druw Jones Is Giving Diamondbacks Fans Another Reason To Believe
The 2026 Minor League Gold Glove winners brought a fresh round of recognition across the games farm systems, and one of the more notable names on the list was Druw Jones. The former top prospect has now taken home the award for the second straight year in the minors, a reminder that his defensive reputation remains very much intact even as other headliners around the game, including Franklin Arias, Josiah Hartshorn and Caden Bodine, continue building their own cases for attention.
For a club still looking for reasons to feel good about its long-term outlook, Jones keeps supplying one of the cleaner ones. Defense can be easier to overlook when the spotlight shifts to offense and prospect rankings, but awards like this matter because they confirm what evaluators have been saying for a while: Jones is still making his mark where it counts most. [Read more 🡒]