Tigers Shortstop Dealing with Injury Which Could Open Door for Kevin McGonigle
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The Detroit Tigers entered spring training with all eyes on their top prospect in his first big league camp, and thus far the reviews on Kevin McGonigle have been nothing but positive.
One day after cracking a home run in live batting practice on Thursday, a bit of information raised the eyebrows of fans across Detroit as it relates directly to McGonigle.
According to a report from team insider Chris McCosky, Tigers shortstop Trey Sweeney is going to be out with a shoulder strain and is having his throwing regimen paused.
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As the team found out last year between Matt Vierling and Parker Meadows, throwing problems for position players are no joke, and this could mean Sweeney being out for an extended period of time. This news also came on the heels of the announcement that McGonigle would be starting the spring opener on Saturday.
While the hit to the shortstop depth stings Detroit, this could also open a pathway for McGonigle to crack the Opening Day roster with Javier Báez as the only other healthy option for the position on the team.
Would Tigers Use McGonigle as Depth Fill In Piece?
The answer to this question likely is similar to whether or not McGonigle had a chance to break camp with the team even before the injury to Sweeney: it depends on how he looks during spring training games.
If Sweeney is in fact out for an extended period, the 21-year-old would be one of the first names up to replace him, but not if he isn't ready to play a fill in role. Should McGonigle come out and dominate in spring though, his chances of getting on the roster would be significantly better than before losing depth there.
McGonigle still has a lot to prove in order for the organization to even consider it, but having the opportunity there for him at a position of need is a huge first step on his path to Detroit.
Tigers Have Limited Other Options if Sweeney is Out
Ultimately, the left side of the infield was always going to be patchwork until McGonigle arrived anyway, but outside of the rookie and Báez, the picture is fairly bleak. Zach McKinstry may be next in line, but he is just as needed at third as he is at short.
This could mean Matt Vierling taking on the hot corner regularly while McKinstry spells Báez at short, but all of these solutions are temporary. By far the most ideal way for this to play out would be McGonigle seeing and seizing the roster opening.
He is the future of this organization, and if Detroit could start the future now rather than a few months down the line, Tigers fans would be even more ecstatic for Opening Day than they already are.
As if there was not already enough pressure to perform, McGonigle is going to be watched very closely this weekend as he makes his spring debut and tries to present the case that he is ready to be on this roster.
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.