The Detroit Tigers pulled a curveball on Monday, Sept. 14, making a late change to their lineup against the Toronto Blue Jays. Colt Keith was scratched from the starting nine because of left thumb soreness, a sudden hit for a team trying to finish strong.
Keith’s Hand Is Twisted, Lee Steps Up
Keith’s thumb issue isn’t some mystery. Manager A.J. Hinch said it all: the dude hit the fence on Sunday, got twisted up in the net trying to track a foul ball, and woke up with a sore, swollen thumb. Talk about a brutal way to get sidelined! He’s day-to-day for now, which is good, and they hope to use him off the bench. But for tonight, it’s Hao-Yu Lee stepping into third base, batting ninth. The whole lineup got shuffled, with Kevin McGonigle at short, Gleyber Torres at second, Riley Greene at DH, Dillon Dingler at catcher, Brett Callahan in left, Max Clark in center, Spencer Torkelson at first, and Zach McKinstry in right. It’s a scramble, for sure.
Roster Shuffle and a Pitcher’s Path
Meanwhile, the Tigers were busy on the roster too. Keider Montero is back, fresh off the paternity list, which is awesome news for him and his family! Hinch confirmed he’s a “new father and well-traveled,” and Montero is already penciled in to start on Wednesday. To make room, righty Yilber Diaz got optioned to Triple-A Toledo. Diaz actually pitched pretty well on Sunday, tossing 1⅔ innings in an 8-1 win over the Colorado Rockies, striking out two and giving up just one hit. Hinch gave him the old “keep on plugging” speech, emphasizing filling the strike zone. You gotta wonder if he’ll get another shot this year.
McGonigle’s ROY Case Is Undeniable
But the biggest talk around the clubhouse, no doubt, is Kevin McGonigle and his absolutely insane Rookie of the Year campaign. Before Monday’s game, when Toronto reporters asked Hinch about the AL ROY, he didn’t even hesitate. “It’s Kevin McGonigle, full stop,” Hinch declared. “I’ve watched him firsthand be the best rookie wire to wire from the beginning of the season to now.” He’s been the most consistent, racked up the performance, and Hinch sees him as the clear winner with “a lot of close seconds.” And get this: McGonigle entered Monday boasting a 6.3 WAR, per Baseball Reference! That’s not just the best by ANY MLB rookie, it puts him tied with Bobby Witt Jr. for third *overall* among position players. He’s right up there with Pete Crow-Armstrong (9.1 bWAR) and Bryce Turang (6.7 bWAR). That’s serious company, people!
So, while the Tigers deal with a banged-up thumb and some roster shuffling, the true story brewing is McGonigle’s ROY case. They’ve got two more games against the Blue Jays, with Montero set to hit the mound on Wednesday. You gotta keep an eye on how this team handles the lineup changes, but more importantly, watch McGonigle keep making his case for rookie supremacy. This kid is special!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply