{"id":662109,"date":"2026-05-24T10:28:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-24T10:28:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/662109\/"},"modified":"2026-05-24T10:28:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-24T10:28:10","slug":"new-plan-for-kevin-mcgonigle-no-days-off-as-detroit-tigers-spiral","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/662109\/","title":{"rendered":"New plan for Kevin McGonigle: No days off as Detroit Tigers spiral"},"content":{"rendered":"

BALTIMORE \u2013\u00a0The Detroit Tigers<\/a> planned to build scheduled off days for 21-year-old rookie Kevin McGonigle<\/a> to help him manage the 162-game schedule.<\/p>\n

Not right now.<\/p>\n

The Tigers can’t afford to keep McGonigle out of the everyday lineup while spiraling through a brutal stretch that has featured seven straight losses and 15 losses in 17 games, burying themselves 10\u00bd games behind the first-place Cleveland Guardians<\/a> in the American League Central.<\/p>\n

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“Not with how things have been going \u2013\u00a0and how he’s been doing, holding up fine,” manager A.J. Hinch<\/a> said Friday, May 22, before a 7-4 loss<\/a> to the Baltimore Orioles<\/a> at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. “A lot of the workload stuff is being proactive and not reactive. We haven’t been able to be proactive with where we’re at.”<\/p>\n

ANY HELP COMING? Why Tigers aren’t calling up Triple-A hitters despite terrible offense<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Detroit<\/p>\n

Detroit Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle (7) is congratulated at the dugout after hitting a lead off home run in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Friday, May 22, 2026.<\/p>\n

McGonigle is hitting .285 with three home runs, 31 walks and 29 strikeouts across 50 games, registering an .812 OPS. He has posted plus-six defensive runs saved in 428 innings, making 29 starts at shortstop and 20 at third base.<\/p>\n

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The Tigers entered the 2026 season with World Series aspirations, but after 52 games, they own a 20-32 record \u2013\u00a0tied with the Colorado Rockies<\/a> for second-worst among the 30 MLB teams, trailing only the Los Angeles Angels<\/a>.<\/p>\n

McGonigle has been the Tigers’ best position player.<\/p>\n

Even so, it’s worth noting that McGonigle has cooled off recently, hitting .214 with a .609 OPS over his past 19 games, after hitting .328 with a .935 OPS in his first 31 games.<\/p>\n

“He’s performing fine. He’s moving fine. He looks fine,” Hinch said. “We haven’t had the opportunity to be proactive about it. We’re going to dig out of this together, and he gives us the best chance to do that. We’ll adapt accordingly.”<\/p>\n

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LAST GAME: Tigers lose seventh straight on bizarre home run from Orioles<\/a><\/p>\n

Injuries have damaged the Tigers’ roster depth.<\/p>\n

The losing has changed the plan for McGonigle’s workload.<\/p>\n

“We’re playing the same nine to 10 players every day with a couple of bench players,” Hinch said, “which is different than how we’ve been able to spread the playing time out over the last couple of years. It’s no secret we’re not in a great place on multiple fronts, and we’re trying to work through it.”<\/p>\n

There have been several turnaround stories in MLB history, including the 2024 Tigers, who went on a magical 31-11 run to secure an AL wild-card birth<\/a> after a 55-63 start.<\/p>\n

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Among the most notable 50-game turnarounds: the 2005 Houston Astros<\/a> recovered from an 18-32 start to finish 89-73, the 2009 Rockies rebounded from a 20-30 start to finish 92-70 and the 2019 Washington Nationals<\/a> overcame a 19-31 start to finish 93-69.<\/p>\n

All three of those teams reached the postseason.<\/p>\n

Those Nationals went even further, winning the 2019 World Series in seven games over the Astros.<\/p>\n

\"Kevin<\/p>\n

Kevin McGonigle of the Detroit Tigers celebrates after hitting a home run against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Friday, May 22, 2026.<\/p>\n

WHAT ABOUT SATURDAY? Weather postpones Detroit Tigers game vs Orioles<\/a><\/p>\n

Can the 2026 Tigers pull off a similar comeback after a 20-32 start?<\/p>\n

McGonigle thinks so.<\/p>\n

“I know what we have in this locker room,” McGonigle said after Friday’s loss, in which he hit a solo home run in the first inning but made a fielding error that led to three runs in the third inning. “We know what we’ve done in the last two years. It’s tough right now, but it’s a long season. Everyone has their heads on the right way, and they’re ready to go out each and every day and play for each other. It’s a little tough right now, but I know we’ll come out of it.”<\/p>\n

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Contact Evan Petzold at\u00a0epetzold@freepress.com<\/a>\u00a0or follow him\u00a0@EvanPetzold<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers: No Kevin McGonigle off days during losing streak<\/a><\/p>\n