The Detroit Tigers Have an Infield Puzzle to Solve
The infield is the biggest puzzle the Detroit Tigers need to solve heading into next season. What is their best path forward?
I think we can all agree that the 2026 season was a disappointment for the Detroit Tigers. A team that was coming off back-to-back playoff appearances and had World Series aspirations fell flat to the point of selling at the deadline.
Without a doubt, there’s plenty of blame to go around. A.J. Hinch did not have anywhere near his best season, the bullpen struggled to close out games, injuries piled up to begin the year, and the lineup was roughly league average. The same lineup was nearly copy-pasted from the year prior, with the addition of Kevin McGonigle. That can’t happen again in 2027.
Throughout the offseason, I will focus on different position groups, ideas for improvement, pitchers, and so on. But where I want to start is the infield. Not because I think it’s the most important group, but because it’s the biggest puzzle that needs to be solved.
The trickle-down effect of the decisions they make in the infield will greatly impact how the Tigers address the rest of their roster. Where does Colt Keith play? Is Spencer Torkelson the everyday first baseman? Who ends up manning second? Even the bench has questions.
Today, we’re hopefully here to find answers.
The Colt Keith Domino
Colt Keith is one of the more difficult Tigers players to discuss. He’s not a bad player, but he’s certainly nowhere near what many thought he could be. A poor defender who doesn’t have much of a position, is usually used in a platoon, and doesn’t offer much power is a tough roster fit.
Considering the Tigers already signed him to an extension, I don’t think he’s going anywhere. At one time, he was a second baseman. Last year, he mostly played third, first, and DH. On the surface, a .258/.322/.406 hitter with a 104 wRC+ would be a perfectly acceptable option in the bottom third of the lineup, but not for a player who can’t hit lefties or field a position.
His offensive profile doesn’t match that of a DH or first baseman. It’s far from ideal for third base, either. Those positions typically require more offensive impact, or at least more power. If you play any of those three positions, you’re taking away the opportunity to play somebody who does offer more power. In terms of his profile, he’s probably best suited to play second.
With Gleyber Torres set to hit the open market, there’s a hole at second base. Hao-Yu Lee had a nice rookie season, slashing .264/.322/.424 with 10 home runs and a 107 wRC+, and could be a platoon partner for Keith. To me, this is the scenario that makes the most sense. If Lee outperforms Keith, then Keith will have to see more time on the bench.
It’s a combination that might not offer a ton of upside, but I do think it has a reasonably high floor. Allow Keith to focus on one position throughout the offseason and see if he can improve defensively. I don’t think moving him around has allowed him to settle in and focus on one area, which has only hurt him.
Kevin McGonigle: Shortstop or Third Baseman?
I could talk all day about how good Kevin McGonigle was at the plate. Instead, I’ll let his eventual Rookie of the Year award do the talking. Luckily, defense isn’t factored in too much for that award. McGonigle split time evenly between shortstop and third base last season and didn’t really stand out at either. He had some flashes, a few nice plays, and a number of blunders.
While I do appreciate versatility to a certain extent, I’d rather younger players stick to one position. Having players like Javier Báez and Zach McKinstry on the roster offers enough versatility that you should be able to get by without having to move all of these under-25 players around. Like Keith, I think the Tigers should just allow McGonigle to be a shortstop for the 2027 season.
When you look at the defensive metrics, he wasn’t exactly awful. We aren’t talking about a player who’s completely lost at the position. While I don’t think he’ll become a Gold Glover, shortstop might not even be his long-term position. I do think it’s the best position for McGonigle for now.
The only way I would want to move McGonigle off the position is if somebody became available who would help in a pretty significant way. More on that later.
Third Base Needs an Upgrade
I feel like I’ve had this same discussion about third base for a number of years. The merry-go-round of forgettable, one- or two-year solutions that don’t provide much impact needs to stop. I don’t mind the idea of having one or two positions at the bottom of the order that offer good defense and help round out a team. A lot of teams are going to have a position fall into that scenario, but I’d rather it not be third base, where there’s more offensive impact to be had.
If it is third base, then it certainly can’t be second base, too. The idea of rolling the dice at second and third and using a combination of six different players with limited ceilings is troubling to me. However, that’s what we saw once Torres went out of the lineup last season, and I’m afraid it could be a repeat in 2027.
I understand that the free-agent market is what it is. There’s not always going to be a fit or an option that makes sense. I also believe that waiting around until the perfect scenario appears isn’t an ideal situation, either. Scott Harris and his front office have been very patient since he joined the organization, and I now think it’s time to make some trades.
Of course, it’s easy for me to sit here and demand it without listing options or laying out potential trade scenarios, but that’s a different story for a different day. We’ll get there.
Musical Chairs — If a Bona Fide Player Is Available
I know what you’re thinking. I just sat here and told you that Colt Keith and Kevin McGonigle need to be given a position and stay there all year. I still believe that’s what’s best for their development and for the Tigers long term. However, I’m open to changing those plans if a bona fide player becomes available and forces the issue.
Here’s where the versatility becomes important. Let’s just say a shortstop is available via trade. We’re early enough in the offseason that we can play out dream scenarios, so let’s say it’s Jeremy Peña. If the Tigers were to add Peña, he would start at shortstop, move McGonigle to third, have Keith and Lee split time at second, and keep Torkelson at first. This would allow Javier Báez and Zach McKinstry to serve as utility players off the bench who could also be used as defensive substitutions. A worthwhile scenario!
Now, let’s say a second baseman is added. You want to dream big? Let’s call it Ketel Marte or Jazz Chisholm Jr. You would now keep McGonigle at shortstop, move Keith to third, and have him platoon with either Lee or a different bat. While third base wouldn’t be a very impactful position, the upgrade at second would make up for it.
The upgrade at third would be the easiest to maneuver. Want to call it Isaac Paredes for the sake of this discussion? Why not bring the former Tiger back? You now have an answer at third, McGonigle at shortstop, Keith and Lee splitting time at second, and Torkelson at first. Of course, you could add more than one starting-caliber infielder and use Torkelson or Keith at DH, although that would be an odd use of a roster spot in my opinion.
I think the Tigers need to add an outfielder to pair with Riley Greene, who could also move to DH, and Clark. This would allow Kerry Carpenter to remain at DH if healthy. Adding an impactful outfielder could change the infield equation as well. Add Randy Arozarena, and suddenly, the dire need to find a quality bat in the infield becomes less pressing. Adding an outfielder pushes Greene into more of a DH role, leaving Keith with one less position where he could find at-bats.
Another layer I’ve yet to discuss is the fringe players and potential additions to the 40-man roster from within the organization throughout the offseason. Here’s a look at the Tigers’ Rule 5 protections and 40-man roster crunch.
Are Any Fringe Players an Answer?
If you’ve made it this far in the article, you likely know where I’ll start. Labeling Hao-Yu Lee as a fringe player might not be fair, but neither is giving him a starting spot without any legitimate competition. What Lee showed as a rookie was certainly promising and makes me believe he’ll be at the top of this list, with the longest leash and the most opportunity.
Replacing Gleyber Torres’ right-handed bat in the number two spot in the lineup is going to be a challenge. Lee should have an opportunity to fill that role, especially against lefties. The best-case scenario would be for him to also take on that role against righties, but he’ll have to prove it first.
The next group of players would be Trey Sweeney, John Peck, and Rule 5-eligible players Max Anderson and Peyton Graham. Sweeney will be working his way back from injury and could be a 40-man roster casualty at some point this offseason. The Tigers struggled to find shortstops in 2026, but I’m not sure Sweeney has really shown enough to stick around as more players are added to the 40-man roster.
Max Anderson is a player many fans were calling for throughout the 2026 season. I’m not nearly as high on Anderson as many others, and I think his profile is too similar to Lee’s to roster both. They’re right-handed bats who play mediocre or worse defense at second and third base and have limited offensive upside. The organization never called Anderson up last year, which I think was telling.
I’d put Graham and Peck in the same bucket as well. I’ve always liked John Peck and think he could be a very useful bench bat, but in 2027, he might be more of a depth player who moves up and down between the minors and the big leagues. Graham’s breakout has been a fun one to watch. Sixty stolen bases in Double-A is the type of speed the Tigers could use.
I’d like to see Graham play in Toledo in 2027, see if the outfield is a position he can add to his repertoire, and let him fight for a role at some point during the year. The Tigers are too good of a team to give multiple roster spots to more than one of these players, and I think Lee stands out compared to the others.
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