Zach McKinstry Became Second Tigers Player in Last 40 Years To Do This
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All season long, the Detroit Tigers have gotten contributions from virtually everyone on their roster.
That has powered them into owning the best record in the American League entering play on Saturday, where they look like legitimate contenders to go to the World Series once the playoffs get underway.
Someone who came into the year overlooked was Zach McKinstry, the utility man who had largely struggled during his first two years with the Tigers since coming over in a trade with the Chicago Cubs ahead of the 2023 season.
But after putting up back-to-back campaigns where he finished with OPS+ marks well below the league average of 100, he has been sensational this year, earning himself his first career All-Star Game nod with what he did to start the season.
McKinstry's early performance wasn't just a flash in the pan, though. He has continued his hot pace throughout the summer, sitting with a slash line of .265/.340/.455 and an OPS+ of 118 through 116 games, becoming a key part of this lineup.
Zach McKinstry Joins Rare Air in Tigers History
Already in the midst of his best-ever season with career highs in home runs (11), RBI (41) and stolen bases (19), the player who was known for his defense has started to become a force with his bat, putting together a performance in 2025 that has put him in rare franchise air.
Down 3-0 in Friday's series opener against the Kansas City Royals, McKinstry blasted a solo homer in the bottom of the third inning to get Detroit on the board, a spark that resulted in the floodgates eventually opening up for this offense.
Later in the fifth inning, McKinstry added a triple to his stat line, which was his 10th of the year. By hitting that mark, he joined Curtis Granderson in 2007 as the only Tigers players in the last 40 years to have 11 or more home runs, 10 or more triples and 19 or more steals in a single season.
Zach McKinstry last night hit his 11th homer and 10th triple, to go along with 19 stolen bases.
— Tigers PR (@DetroitTigersPR) August 23, 2025
He’s the second Tigers player in the last 40 years to reach all three marks in a season, joining Curtis Granderson in 2007 (23 3B, 23 HR, 26 SB). pic.twitter.com/NtRxKcEUW3
That's impressive for a player that largely was a minus with the bat in his hand before.
While McKinstry has some work to do if he's going to catch the marks Granderson put up in that 2007 season where he finished 10th in AL MVP voting, this has been an incredible breakout for the former 33rd-round pick.
He'll attempt to keep his strong campaign going for the remainder of the regular season as Detroit gears up for a playoff push, one where McKinstry will be a key part in them making a deep run or not.
