The Quiet Roster Decision That Could Shape Tigers First Month
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The Detroit Tigers are just two weeks from Opening Day ahead of what promises to be a very exciting season in the Motor City, but tough decisions are still going to have to be made in the front office.
An Opening Day roster is not necessarily the end all be all for a team and is really just a starting point, but being on it is certainly an honor and a privilege that not everyone gets to have. For Detroit, much of the attention has been on whether top prospect Kevin McGonigle will break camp with the team, but if he does, this will lead to another difficult call for Scott Harris and the front office.
McGonigle being on the team -- which is starting to look likely -- would mean someone doesn't make it though, something which has been much less talked about. Given the youngster taking shortstop would likely push Javier Báez to the outfield and require someone there to be moved to Triple-A.
Who exactly that would be could go on to shape the first month of the season for this team and could highlight exactly what it is Harris is trying to do.
Tigers Will Have to Leave Outfielder Off Roster
If Báez is indeed pushed into a utility outfielder role, it takes up a spot in the outfield and puts a couple of names on the chopping block. In all likelihood, one of Wenceel Pérez, Jahmai Jones, Matt Vierling or even Parker Meadows is going to have to be dumped.
On the surface, Pérez seems like the most likely candidate, however he is the only switch hitter on the roster, versatility A.J. Hinch values as he puts his lineups together. Jones makes sense as well, however as a lefty-mashing specialist, he figures to platoon with Kerry Carpenter at DH.
Vierling has been Detroit's best overall hitter throughout the spring and after an injury-filled 2025 is likely going to get another chance both in the infield and the outfield.
This leaves Meadows, who was a disaster down the stretch in 2025 and has continued to struggle in spring, slashing a dreadful .111/.200/.148 in 11 games so far. His defensive abilities make him potentially more valuable than others, but if he is a total zero at the plate, sending him to Toledo and letting him work his way back may be the best course.
Tigers Decision Likely Comes Down to Meadows and Pérez
If Detroit does indeed decide they need to part ways with an outfielder, the decision likely comes down to the pair of Meadows and Pérez. While Meadows has been horrific offensively, Pérez has not been a whole lot better with his own slash line of .136/.240/.136 through 10 games in spring.
Ultimately, one of the two may have to separate themselves over the coming weeks, and if both are still cold, the nod could go to either one due to Meadows' glove and Pérez's switch-hitting capabilities.
Should this situation come to fruition, this could be the toughest call Harris has to make in the next two weeks, and it very likely is going to determine what kind of team this is throughout the first month.
Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.