Tigers Most Glaring Question Before Opening Day Centers Around Outfield
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The Detroit Tigers went into spring training with some unresolved questions, and with now officially less than a week to go until Opening Day, it's getting into crunch time to get them answered.
For the most part, the lineup, rotation and bullpen are relatively set, and that picture offensively should become even more clear once a decision is made on top prospect Kevin McGonigle and whether or not he cracks the roster right out of the gate.
That decision could have a ripple effect, though, on a position that has seen some pretty significant disappointment from the presumptive starter so far this spring. Far away from McGonigle's potential shortstop role is center field, where Parker Meadows has struggled all spring.
Should McGonigle take shortstop, it pushes Javier Báez to be an option in center, something he could platoon with Matt Vierling and Wenceel Pérez depending on the particular matchups for Detroit that day.
Parker Meadows' Spring Has Led to Major Outfield Questions for Tigers
The struggles for Meadows go back to last season when he dealt with injuries in spring that wound up costing him most of season, but in the 58 games he was able to play, he never got it going with the bat in his hands.
Slashing .215/.291/.330 before putting up a borderline goose egg in the playoffs had to give the organization pause in locking him in as their center fielder of the future despite his defensive prowess.
In 15 games this spring, Meadows has slashed just .175/.283/.225 and has not been able to return to his form from 2024. The fact that he has minor league options remaining will not help his case either and he could wind up being left off the roster entirely.
Going off spring results, there's really only one answer for how Detroit should align itself on Opening Day.
Tigers Opening Day Center Fielder Should Be Matt Vierling
Like Meadows, Vierling lost most of the 2025 season due to injury and struggled in the very limited action he did get. With that being said, the do-it-all utility man looks like he has bounced back a whole lot better, slashing .324/.359/.649 with two home runs and nine RBI, arguably the best hitter on the team through camp.
Vierling has proven himself to be more than capable at whatever outfield position he's thrown in, and the offensive ceiling he brings is high.
If Detroit wants to put the best possible lineup out there to start the year, then McGonigle should be at short, Vierling in center, Báez on the bench as a utility player, and Meadows in Toledo.
Whether or not that's how things play out remains to be seen, however it should be the biggest thing on the mind of Scott Harris as he continues to put this team together. Time is starting to run out, and difficult decisions have to be made in order to put this team in the best possible spot to win a championship in 2026.
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.