Detroit Tigers: April Winners and Losers

Loser: James McCann

James McCann has done absolutely nothing wrong. Yes, he is sporting a rather unsightly .133 batting average, and yes he is currently missing time due to an injury, but he hasn’t done anything wrong.

In fact, the catcher got off to a solid start. He notched a pair of RBI in the first four games of the season, and lived up to his billing as the “McCannon” on defense.

However, he qualifies as a loser because of the way Jarrod Saltalamacchia has played in his absence. The backstop referred to as “Salty” has been so impressive at the plate for the Tigers that he could potentially force McCann into a platoon situation when he returns from injury.

Saltalamacchia’s tear has included 10 extra-base hits and 15 RBI in just 16 contests. Those 10 extra-base hits also include a team-leading six home runs. What’s more, the catcher’s home runs always seem to come at the right time. Five of his home runs have come with the Tigers behind in games. One stretch saw the veteran homer in three consecutive games that he played in.

Next: Why Michael Fulmer to Revitalize the Pitching Staff

McCann is only a loser in the sense that he could lose some at-bats to Saltalamacchia moving forward.