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Forbes
5 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Will A Deadline Third Baseman Trade Decide The 2025 World Series?
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 11: Eugenio Suárez #28 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts after hitting a ... More grand slam against the Seattle Mariners during the sixth inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on June 11, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by) Now that the Midsummer Classic has come and gone, the 'Summer Sprint' to the MLB Trade Deadline is underway. And despite a brief injury scare in his last at-bat of the All-Star Game, soon-to-be free agent Eugenio Suárez made a great first impression on several teams that may look to add his talents. Entering the break, there are five playoff teams in the bottom-third of OPS produced from their third base position. At the top of these hot corner bottom feeders are the Detroit Tigers in 20th. Despite having the best record in baseball, the Tigers have tried five different options at third base. Leading the group is utility man Zach McKinstry with 51 games, who has an .836 OPS on the season. Third base not being the primary position of McKinstry has hurt his defensive numbers overall, as he sits with a -3 outs above average (OAA) at third. With an infield also featuring Gleyber Torres and Spencer Torkelson, who both have an OAA of -2, and rookie Trey Sweeney playing every day shortstop, the addition of a true third baseman to better utilize McKinstry's versatility could go a long way in completing their postseason roster. And, even with the best MLB record in baseball, the Tigers also possess the best farm system in MLB, which will go a long way throughout the deadline. Two places below the Tigers are the New York Yankees, who entered the 2025 season already fielding questions about third base. The position battle was set to be between Oswald Peraza and Oswaldo Cabrera, two inexperienced prospects playing away from their primary position in the minor leagues. Cabrera outplayed Peraza with just a .631 OPS, which already did not resolve the preseason issue. However, New York would come to miss his 79 OPS+ when he went down with a season-ending injury, forcing Peraza and Jazz Chisholm Jr to split the position. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 27: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees reacts as he rounds the ... More bases after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of the game against the Athletics at Yankee Stadium on June 27, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by) As a whole, the hot corner for New York has a .653 OPS, while ranking at the bottom of the league defensively as well. A consolation prize for the Bronx Bombers is the fact that their third base production ranks best in the state of New York, as the Mets trail them on this list with a .649 OPS from third base. 2025 was an important year for 25-year-old Mark Vientos. The former second-round pick and top organizational prospect looked to capitalize on his impressive 2024, however, with a .640 OPS and -8 OAA, Brett Baty has all but taken the position from Vientos. The Mets would still likely upgrade from Baty, and use his versatility similar to McKinstry, making Vientos a likely trade piece. When it comes to trade pieces, a team below the Mets in third baseman OPS may be able to outbid New York with their loaded farm. The Milwaukee Brewers have the fifth-worst offensive output from third, with a .619 OPS and a .320 slugging percentage. The position has mostly been manned by rookie Caleb Durbin, who has performed above expectations personally. In 74 games, Durbin has produced a 2.0 bWAR, thanks to his .263 batting average. The reason Milwaukee may still try to upgrade the position is due to the lack of power coming from the position where extra base hits are usually expected. With just five total home runs from the position group, the addition of a player like Suarez would lead the entire roster in home runs by 12. When it comes to offensive production from the position group, no team ranks worse than the Chicago Cubs. Of the five playoff teams on this list, the Cubs as a whole come up last on the list, receiving an average slash line of .199/.273/.258 with just one home run on the year. The position has mostly been split between Matt Shaw and Jon Berti, who have both lacked for Chicago offensively. In 63 games, 23-year-old Shaw has a 62 OPS+, with Berti trailing behind at a 52 OPS+. As an offense overall, these two are the only everyday players with an OPS+ below 100. In fact, four of these five teams rank in the top eight teams in baseball offensively without much production from third base, with the Brewers as the only outlier. With Suarez being such a powerful threat offensively, his addition to any of these lineups could propel the team to the top of the rankings. But does this mean Suarez is the best fit for all five of these teams? Defensively, Suarez has a -4 outs above average, and an average throwing velocity of 83.5 mph, which is two miles per hour slower than the league average. With a .948 fielding percentage and 11 errors on the season, Suarez is not a liability with the glove. However, for the deeper lineups eying a rental third baseman, there DENVER, COLORADO - SEPTEMBER 24: Nolan Arenado #28 of the St. Louis Cardinals throws out Brenton ... More Doyle of the Colorado Rockies in the fourth inning at Coors Field on September 24, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by) may be a better alternative if they lose the Suarez sweepstakes. The only issue is that there are not a lot of other options available at the end of the month. The other third basemen rumored in trade talks are Nolan Arenado, Ryan McMahon, and Yoan Moncada. Arenado and McMahon both have two years remaining past 2025, while Moncada is set to become a free agent following the season. With the Cardinals still in playoff contention and the Rockies seeming unable to trade at the deadline, Moncada may be the only member of these rumors to change jerseys in the coming weeks. However, with an underwhelming free agency pool of third basemen in 2026, teams may look to trade for younger players still under team control. If any of these teams are looking to change their defensive identity drastically, they would look to trade for KeBryan Hayes of the Pirates. After having his arbitration year bought out in an eight-year, $70 million extension, the trade package would have to be a haul. A more achievable option this trade deadline could be Josh Jung of the Rangers, who may be looking for a change of scenery after a lack of development offensively. After his top-five Rookie of the Year finish in 2023, Jung has steadily declined in symmetry with the Rangers' team success. With three years of arbitration remaining, Jung could be a valuable addition while capitalizing on his trade value being low. So, there is a lot to watch for in the next 14 days, with plenty of other valuable trade pieces being moved around the league. But this all goes to show the third basemen market will be the most impactful on the 2025 postseason.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
11 pitches torch Detroit Tigers in 7-3 loss to Tampa Bay Rays in series finale
The Detroit Tigers were the first MLB team this season to 30, 40 and 50 wins — but they's have to wait at least one more game to make the same true about 60. A.J. Hinch's club fell into an early hole Wednesday, July 9, and unlike the day prior, when they scored four unanswered to come back and win, their comeback effort was for naught. Advertisement The Tigers briefly took the lead in the fourth, but then surrendered it back to the Rays in the sixth to finish with a 7-3 loss in the three-game series' finale. The loss snapped a season-high five-game win streak for the Tigers (59-35). Detroit Tigers pitcher Chase Lee (53) pitches in the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. STAR POWER: Detroit Tigers utility player Zach McKinstry named to 2025 MLB All-Star Game Rough relief for Chase Lee The Tigers had a a 3-2 lead with two outs in the sixth when rookie sidearmer Chase Lee entered in relief with two runners on. It did not go as planned. Ha-Seong Kim ripped a double deep to center, Taylor Walls followed with an RBI single to left, Danny Jansen added a double off the left-field wall and Yandy Diaz ripped an RBI single up the middle. Advertisement Three of the four balls left the bat at better than 98 mph, and in the span of just 11 pitches, a one-run Tigers lead turned into a 6-3 deficit. It only got worse when Lee came back out to open the seventh; he allowed a 398-foot bomb to left by Junior Caminero, hit at 104.8 mph. That was the end for Lee, who entered with an ERA of 2.05 ERA and left with it at 3.19 after allowing five of six batters to reach and giving up four runs (three earned). Left-hander Dietrich Enns relieved Lee and got through the final three innings unscathed. Early rally not enough Detroit Tigers third baseman Zach McKinstry (39) hits an RBI double in the fourth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. SHHH: From 0.2% to 99.8% playoff odds, the Detroit Tigers are riding high. Just don't tell them Advertisement The Tigers seemingly had the momentum before the sudden unraveling, having worked their way back from a 2-0 deficit with a rally of their own in the fourth inning. Gleyber Torres doubled off the wall to start the frame (tying his career-best on-base streak at 22 games) before Wenceel Pérez reached on an infield single. Two batters later, Spencer Torkelson knocked Torres in with a 102.4 mph single to left field. Pérez, meanwhile, showed the Tigers' attention to baserunning, sprinting safely to third right in front of left fielder Jake Mangum. Next up was a game-tying double by newly minted All-Star Zach McKinstry. The hit to right-center looked like a single but McKinstry was going full tilt and slid safely into second as Torkelson went first-to-third. That allowed Parker Meadows' grounder to first to score Torkelson for a one-run lead. Advertisement But that was all the Tigers had, failing to capitalize on several other scoring chances. Celebrate 125 seasons of the Tigers with our new book! First up, McKinstry hit his second double of the game in the sixth with two outs, but Matt Vierling popped out to second. There was an even more promising rally in the seventh when Jake Rogers worked a walk and Colt Keith ripped a single with one out. After Torres fouled out, Jahmai Jones (pinch-hitting for Pérez) walked to load the bases for Riley Greene, 2-for-28 since the end of his two-homer game on July 2. It became 2-for-29 as Greene swung through a down-and-away sweeper for strike 3. Advertisement Reese Olson grinds through five Detroit Tigers pitcher Reese Olson (45) pitches in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. The Rays jumped on starter Reese Olson early, getting runners on the corners in the first early. Torkelson then fielded a chopper to first; instead of trying for a 3-6-3 double play, he pumped home, then opted to settle for stepping on first for the second out of the inning. Mangum, however, followed with an RBI single to left to put the Rays up, 2-0. From there, however, Olson worked his way around trouble. Kim led off the second with a single before Olson retired the next three batters. In the third, Jonathan Aranda led off with a single, but Olson got out of the inning — this time Torkelson started a 3-6 double play — in just seven pitches. Advertisement After a single with one out in the fourth by Chandler Simpson, Olson got consecutive flyouts to keep the Tigers close. In his final inning, the 25-year-old walked a pair, prompting a mound visit from catcher Jake Rogers. Two pitches later, Olson induced a 6-4-3 double play from Caminero. Olson left after five innings in line for the win after allowing six hits and two walks with one strikeout. Email Tony Garcia at apgarcia@ and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers series sweep hopes sunk by 7-3 loss to Tampa Bay Rays
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How Tigers surprised Zach McKinstry with MLB All-Star announcement
Ichiro Suzuki and Barry Bonds. Those are the two names Zach McKinstry said he first thinks of when he recalls MLB All-Star Game memories from his childhood. Well, now he needs to add his own name to that list, after the Detroit Tigers' do-it-all utility man was officially added to the team Wednesday, July 9, shortly after 5 p.m. Advertisement The public announcement came over the public address system at Comerica Park, when a graphic flashed on the scoreboard in left field that the former Central Michigan standout would become the fifth Tigers player to go to the Midsummer Classic in 2025. Detroit Tigers Zach McKinstry smiles as he celebrates after hitting a home run against the Twins at Comerica Park in Detroit on Saturday, June 28, 2025. But the private announcement came the evening before, when manager A.J. Hinch had compiled the others, including Javier Báez, Riley Greene, Gleyber Torres and Tarik Skubal into his office when he called "Z-Mac" too "Super cool," McKinstry said following the Tigers' 7-3 loss on Wednesday. "When I looked around the room, I kind of felt it was coming and it was just a pretty cool moment to have those guys in there with me. A.J. just said 'all the players here are All Stars' so that was pretty cool." Advertisement McKinstry also had to keep his cool for about 18 hours, from when he found out on Tuesday, July 8, until the embargo broke the following afternoon. He joked he intentionally stayed away from media prior to the game, and he and his inner circle did a good job of keeping it on the "down low." DETROIT SPORTS HAVING A MOMENT: Here are 29 reasons why There were, of course, a few people he told: his wife, agent, parents, brother, sister, his wife's family and a handful of friends. Hinch said he was surprised that media gathered outside the clubhouse didn't hear the eruption from outside the locker room. Hinch almost blew it pregame, too, when he was asked about sending five people to Atlanta, including bat boy Frankie Boyd, when he said its six, then quickly talked it back and said, yeah, maybe five. Advertisement "I almost ruined it today, but I can count," Hinch quipped. "We weren't allowed to talk about it (publicly) but I could tell him ... we all just talked about his journey a little bit, (president of baseball operations) Scott (Harris) was in there and he traded for him to bring him into the organization, George (Lombard) was in there who worked so hard with him on baserunning and outfield, Joey Cora was in there, you know, infield coach. "Just everybody was so proud of him ... very rewarding moment for me as a manager, but more importantly for Z-Mac as a player amongst the elite." Detroit Tigers third baseman Zach McKinstry (39) slides to third base after hitting a triple against the Chicago Cubs during the fifth inning of the game at Comerica Park in Detroit on Saturday, June 7, 2025. The journey certainly has not been the typical one of an All-Star, even one making it for the first time at age 30. Prior to 2025, McKinstry had never hit better than his 2023 season, his first in Detroit, when he batted .231 with a .302 OBP and 1.2 wins above replacement. Advertisement This year, however, he's already on pace to smash those numbers. His average (.286) and OBP (.358) are both more than 50 points higher, while his OPS (.826) is nearly 170 points north of his previous best. When he woke up Thursday, July 10, following his latest two-double performance, his batting WAR (2.7) was tied for No. 31 in baseball, along with teammate Riley Greene, directly ahead of players like Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Max Muncy. Detroit Tigers third baseman Zach McKinstry (39) hits an RBI double in the fourth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. McKinstry's eight triples are second best in the American League (Jarren Duran, 10) and already a career-high, while his seven home runs are two shy (9), his 14 doubles are seven shy (21) and his 13 steals are three back (16) of his career bests, all posted in 148 games played in 2023. Advertisement These 2025 numbers have come in just 85 games. "Just honestly, I couldn't think of a human more deserving," catcher Jake Rogers said. "All of his ups and downs, teams he's been, yeah, he's definitely a grinder. It's pretty cool to see a guy like that do well at all the positions around the field. "Gave him a big hug, everyone was super excited for him and we were all hoping he was going to get in." Detroit Tigers outfielders, from left: Riley Greene, Parker Meadows and Zach McKinstry celebrate their win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Comerica Park in Detroit on Monday, July 7, 2025. With five All-Stars now selected, it's the most since the organization had six in 2013: Miguel Cabrera (3B), Prince Fielder (1B), Torii Hunter (OF), Jhonny Peralta (SS), Justin Verlander (P) and Max Scherzer (P). Advertisement Now, all that's left — other than making sure he packs both his infield and outfield gloves — is getting in touch with his "people" that he still uses for formal events from Los Angeles, whom he connected with during his time in the Dodgers organization. There's going to be a new suit on the way, marking the biggest milestone of his career to wear to the red carpet. No, he won't match with his teammates he joked. "Definitely going to be some Detroit stuff going on on the suit," McKinstry said. "It will be pretty cool." Email Tony Garcia at apgarcia@ and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia. Advertisement This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: How Tigers surprised Zach McKinstry with MLB All-Star announcement
New York Times
10-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Tigers' Zach McKinstry is an unlikely, but also well-deserved, All-Star
DETROIT — Nope, he didn't think this would happen. Not three years ago, when he was buried on the bench with the Dodgers, not back when he was getting cut from the Cubs, not last year when he was clinging to his Tigers roster spot for dear life. Zach McKinstry has always been self-aware. Aware of the fact he was a 33rd-round draft pick out of Central Michigan, which before now had only produced one other MLB All-Star (outfielder Tom Tresh, who represented the Yankees in 1962 and 1963). Advertisement He's aware of the fact he's now 30, a scrappy super-utility player, the type of guy who can make a roster function but rarely gets the acclaim. But look at the numbers on the scoreboard, and it is difficult to dismiss Zach McKinstry's case for an All-Star nod. He is hitting .286 with an .826 OPS. He already has eight triples, the most by a Tiger at the break since Curtis Granderson finished the year with a ridiculous 23 in 2007. McKinstry entered Wednesday at 2.8 fWAR, ranking 11th among all American League position players. He's been a dynamic chess piece who has played every position except for catcher in the major leagues. Next week, he plans on bringing his infield and outfield gloves to the All-Star Game. 🖐️ — Detroit Tigers (@tigers) July 9, 2025 The Tigers first learned the news Tuesday evening. Manager A.J. Hinch called McKinstry into his office. President of baseball operations Scott Harris, the man who brought McKinstry to the Tigers, was there. So were the four other Tigers — Tarik Skubal, Javier Báez, Riley Greene and Gleyber Torres — who are headed to Atlanta next week. Hinch looked at McKinstry. 'All the players here are All-Stars,' he said. Wednesday at Comerica Park, the Tigers flashed his picture on the video board and officially announced that McKinstry had been selected to replace Houston shortstop Jeremy Peña on the AL All-Star team. McKinstry had just botched a rundown, a rare mistake. He made up for it three innings later, in typical McKinstry fashion, by slapping a hard double down the right-field line to bring in a run and tie the score. In his next trip to the plate, he poked another ball into right field, wheeled around first and stretched a single into a double. That is what McKinstry has done all season. At the plate, in the field, on the bases. He's scored on a wild pitch in the ninth, made plays from third base and right field and everywhere in between. He's hitting like never before in his career. A player who batted only .133 in sparse chances against left-handed pitchers last season has become an everyday option in Hinch's constantly shifting lineups, this season posting a .949 OPS in left-on-left plate appearances. Advertisement Although it might be difficult to find a grand explanation for what has made all this click, it is easy to find new validation in the Tigers' decision to trade for McKinstry before the 2023 season, to endure the valleys that had fans and critics clamoring for his roster spot over the previous two seasons. McKinstry has credited his faith, a renewed focus that has taken the burdens of stress off his shoulders. In April, he won an award from the MLBPA for his service off the field. As more success suddenly comes his way, McKinstry has remained the same, friendly and chuckling at his locker, dirtying his jersey and pestering opponents on the field. 'I don't know,' McKinstry said Wednesday night, asked if the reality of being an All-Star had hit him yet. 'That's a great question.' When he arrives in Atlanta next week, perhaps the reality will set in. McKinstry's selection is another reflection of what makes the Tigers tick. Skubal and Greene are bona fide stars. But Báez is an unprecedented bounceback story, from futility to pure fun. Torres has been to two previous All-Star games but came to the Tigers on a one-year deal this winter, betting on himself after practically being cast away from the Yankees. He's turned this stop into a revitalization, posting a career-best .384 on-base percentage and 131 wRC+ so far. McKinstry, too, has been the most unlikely of All-Stars, not just validating his roster spot but becoming a fixture in the top half of the Tigers' order. Not just doing everything, but doing everything remarkably well. 'He's understated, and because he's playing somewhere different every day, you get lost a bit in, 'What does he bring to the table?'' Hinch said. Hinch's answer? 'Everything.' Wednesday, before the news was official, the rest of McKinstry's teammates had learned of his selection. He walked into the clubhouse to a raucous ovation. Advertisement 'All of his ups and downs, teams he's been on, he's definitely a grinder,' Tigers catcher Jake Rogers said. 'It's pretty cool to see a guy like that do so well at all positions around the field.' As his teammates cheered, Rogers walked over and hugged McKinstry. 'There's no one more deserving,' he said.
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
MLB All-Star Game set for historic robot umpire debut with live pitch challenge and automated strike zone system
MLB All-Star Game set for historic robot umpire debut with live pitch challenge and automated strike zone system (Image via Getty) Major League Baseball is stepping into the future, and it's happening sooner than expected. The 2025 MLB All-Star Game is set to test a brand-new technology that could change the sport forever. With robot umpires and a live challenge system for calling balls and strikes, this year's All-Star event might become one of the most talked-about games in recent history. MLB introduces automated strike zone with challenge system in 2025 All-Star Game The MLB All-Star Game, scheduled for next week, will debut the automated balls and strikes challenge system for the first time ever. This move, confirmed by U.S. News & World Report and other reliable sources, will allow pitchers, catchers, or batters to challenge ball or strike calls during the game. Each team will have two challenges, and if a challenge is successful, the team gets to keep it. This real-time review process will be handled through a robotic strike zone system, also known as ABS (Automated Ball-Strike System). While robot umpires have been tested in minor leagues before, this marks their first official use in an MLB All-Star Game. The pitch challenge will be shown live, bringing fans even closer to the action. The league hopes this experiment will give insight into how fans, players, and officials respond to the tech. Many believe it will reduce bad calls and bring more fairness to the game. Zach McKinstry joins All-Star lineup as Detroit Tigers and Dodgers lead in picks As the All-Star Game builds excitement, Zach McKinstry of the Detroit Tigers has been added as an All-Star replacement, according to the Associated Press. The Tigers and Dodgers now head the league in overall All-Star choices. The Detroit Tigers are proud of McKinstry's arrival, and supporters are anxiously awaiting his performance. Alongside the big names and new tech debut, McKinstry's presence adds more energy to the field. Also Read: Paul Skenes' girlfriend Livvy Dunne opens up after being brutally rejected from Babe Ruth's $1.6 million NYC home This year's MLB All-Star Game will not just showcase top talent, but also test one of the most advanced features in baseball's history. As the sport evolves, fans can expect more tech-driven moments in the seasons to come. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Manika Batra's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 3. Watch Here!
