The Detroit Tigers are coming off a very successful West Coast road trip, where they won two series against the San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners.
Don’t look now, but the Tigers are a surging team in MLB, with a very capable lineup led by Kevin McGonigle, who has been on a tear in recent weeks.
On Tuesday, the Tigers return home to square off against the Cleveland Guardians in a critical AL Central showdown. Before the series, the Tigers revealed their batting order for the opener.
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Tigers’ Kevin McGonigle Hitting Leadoff on Tuesday
GettySAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 09: Kevin McGonigle #7 and Spencer Torkelson #20 of the Detroit Tigers celebrate after a win against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on August 09, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
For the series opener against the Guardians, Kevin McGonigle is batting first and playing third base.
In their last game, McGonigle also hit leadoff, but was playing shortstop instead.
Here is the full Tigers batting order, per @UnderdogMLB:
Tigers 8/11: “K. McGonigle 3B G. Torres 2B D. Dingler C R. Greene LF C. Keith DH S. Torkelson 1B M. Clark CF J. Báez SS Z. McKinstry RF D. Anderson SP”
K. McGonigle 3B G. Torres 2B D. Dingler C R. Greene LF C. Keith DH S. Torkelson 1B M. Clark CF J. Báez SS Z. McKinstry RF
D. Anderson SP
Drew Anderson and Dillon Dingler form the battery for the Tigers on Tuesday, with the lineup stacked with left-handed hitters like Riley Green, Colt Keith, Max Clark, and Zack McKinstry.
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Inside Kevin McGonigle’s 2026 Season
GettyDETROIT, MICHIGAN – JULY 28: Kevin McGonigle #7 of the Detroit Tigers runs after hitting an RBI single against the Baltimore Orioles during the bottom of the fifth inning at Comerica Park on July 28, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
Kevin McGonigle is a clear favorite to win American League Rookie of the Year, and you don’t have to look far to realize why.
In 437 at-bats, McGonigle is batting .286 with 20 doubles, three triples, and 12 home runs.
He’s also added 125 hits, 76 runs, 45 RBI, and an OPS+ of 128.
All as a rookie in MLB. His bWAR of 5.3 could even put him in AL MVP voting rankings.
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