Kevin McGonigle makes late pitch to start season with Tigers
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Scottsdale, Ariz. — The Tigers have learned as much about the makeup of precocious prospect Kevin McGonigle as they have about his on-field skills this spring, regardless of where he may land.
Manager A.J. Hinch has been impressed.
“He’s been incredible, both on the field and how he has dealt with all the attention and all this curiosity around where he is going to be opening day,” Hinch said.
McGonigle is three days from a possible major-league debut in San Diego, although Hinch did not tip his hand before the Tigers’ 6-5 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Monday. The teams play again Tuesday.
McGonigle turned a 97 mph fastball around for a single that would have tied the game with two outs in the eighth, but pinch runner Woody Hadeen was thrown out at home on a bang-bang play. He was 1-for-4.
McGonigle started at third base, with Javier Báez at shortstop. McGonigle will be used on the left side of the infield this season, said Hinch, who prizes flexibility.
“I just don’t know where the opportunities are necessarily going to come, whether that is through his own doing or whether something happens to somebody and an injury opens up playing time,” Hinch said.
The fact that the Tigers stand to gain a bonus draft pick if McGonigle plays all year and is the Rookie of the Year is not a factor.
“We haven't talked about it once,” Hinch said. “It’s all been about winning. If he can help us win and give us the best chance to win the Central and beyond, that’s why he’s still in camp.”
McGonigle was victimized by two ABS challenges by the Rockies. He appeared to draw a walk on a 3-2 pitch in the fourth before the call was overturned on review. The same thing happened on an 0-1 pitch in the sixth.
Flaherty’s final tuneup
Jack Flaherty gave up four runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings of his final spring start. He gave up a two-out, two-run homer to Troy Johnston — his fifth of the spring — in the third and a bases-empty homer to T.J. Rumfield in a two-run fourth.
“I’d like one pitch back,” Flaherty said of the 0-2 curve that Johnston hit out in the third to tie it at 2-2 after the Tigers turned a double play. “One pitch away from getting out of it. Just need to execute that pitch better.”
Flaherty started quickly, striking out Brenton Doyle and Edouard Julien on 3-2 pitches with a runner on third in the second inning. He got Doyle swinging through a 79 mph knuckle curve and got Julien looking at a 95 mph fastball.
“You have to make a lot of pitches with runners on,” he said. “That’s what today was.”
Flaherty, who threw 81 pitches, gave up 11 runs and 14 hits in 12 2-3 innings in four spring starts. He struck out 14, walked three and gave up four homers.
“Body feels great,” he said. “That’s kind of what spring’s about. Working on different things. It comes down to executing in games where record matters.”
Carpenter at top of the order
Kerry Carpenter was at the top of the order against Colorado right-hander Ryan Feltner on Monday, a spot that Hinch sees as a good fit because of the pitching decisions it forces later.
“I have him in the leadoff spot a lot because of how fast the 19th hitter gets up to bat,” Hinch said. “Sometimes you have to get yourself out of the mindset of what the first hitter of the game is all about.”
Carpenter, who had 26 homers in 464 plate appearances while playing primarily against righties last season, hit leadoff 30 times a year ago.
The Tigers have been encouraged by Carpenter’s improved pitch recognition this spring, albeit in a small sample size. He drew 18 walks (3.8 percent) last season but has bumped that to 8.5 percent this spring.
“We want ‘Carp’ to swing,” Hinch said. “We just want him to swing at the right pitches. He admits he got away from that disciplined approach a little last year. Once he zones in, he puts a lot of fear into our opponents. The more disciplined he can become, the more impactful of a hitter he’s going to become.”
Big night for Torres
Gleyber Torres, scratched from the lineup with lower back tightness Saturday, was 2-for-3 with three RBIs. He singled in a run the third and drove in another with an opposite-field hit that hugged the right-field line.
“I don’t feel any pain, any tightness,” he said. “The second and third (at-bats), timing was good. I see the slider, the breaking ball really good. Ready for opening day.”
Torres said getting off to a good start is a key.
“Huge, I always say the first hundred at-bats are the most important of the season,” he said. “Just try to be focused from the beginning of the season. I really believe in the work in put in in the offseason and spring training. Can’t wait for the season to start.”
Rogers returns to lineup
Jake Rogers singled and scored as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning after clearing the concussion protocol earlier. He is expected to catch a few innings Tuesday, Hinch said.
“Obviously that’s the last true test, getting back in the game,” Hinch said. “We’re lucky that he’s at this point when he can get back into game action.”
Bullpen shuffle
Right-hander Connor Seabold, signed Monday, will make the Opening Day roster after impressing the Tigers with adjustments that bumped his fastball to 94.1 mph on average this spring.
“As his stuff improved, he got a lot of swing and miss,” Hinch said.
Seabold gave up two hits, one a broken-bat looper, and got two outs to the four batters he faced Monday. He struck out 13 in 6 1/3 innings with Toronto this spring before being granted his release over the weekend. His fastball averaged 92.4 in 2025.
“He’s able to have a few weapons against lefties, too,” Hinch said. “If he can maintain that, that’s clearly a way for him to be more and more impactful.”
Seabold, who signed a one-year, $800,000 contract, was added to the 40-man roster when Beau Brieske was placed on the 60-day injury list.
The competition for the final two bullpen spots appears to come down to Brenan Hanifee, Brant Hurter, Emmanuel De Jesus and Burch Smith.
“This is becoming a harder team to make,” Hinch said.
Jack Magruder is a freelance writer.
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Tigers rookie Kevin McGonigle making late pitch to make team.