Detroit Tigers: How long can the Nick Maton experiment last?

Detroit Tigers continue trying to see a Nick Maton breakthrough.

The Detroit Tigers brought in Nick Maton this off-season when the team completed the trade with the Philadelphia Phillies that sent Gregory Soto out east. The team acquired Nick Maton, Donny Sands, and Matt Vierling. Good friends Maton & Vierling both made the big league club out of camp and have been with the team since, barring Vierling's injuries.

The Detroit Tigers were impressed with how Maton did in spring ball and decided to give him a chance to be the team's starting third baseman or move around the infield as well—the experiment of trotting him out there game in and game off needs to come to an end.

Maton has not hit well at all. The numbers are abysmal. Maton has slashed .156/.288/,286 with 33 walks and 57 punchouts over 229 plate appearances. The left-handed bat has played in 69 of the 73 games the Tigers have played in 2023.

Coming into the year, I was excited to see what Maton would bring to the table. I was hopeful that he would get a chance to stick in the big leagues. Unfortunately, he has stuck, but the numbers are atrocious.

Now, in the same argument, the Tigers do not need to be rushing prospects to the big leagues to help a team that's struggling to get much of anything going. But something has to be done. The Tigers cannot continue to send Maton out there, knowing the result will essentially be an out.

While Scott Harris preached players who dominate the strike zone, 33 walks to 57 punchouts is not exactly dominating the strike zone. There's still plenty of room to keep getting better, but at some point or another, the Tigers have to be yearning for more.

With the recent addition of minor leaguers to shuffle things around, something could be coming. While Johan Camargo was brought in on a minor-league contract, meaning he is not on the 40-man, which could be an option. He's someone the Tigers could call upon since he has hit well in the minors this season.

This would allow them to try and improve the quality of play coming from that spot in the lineup while also not forcing any of the prospects' hands, moving them up too quickly. But, with Maton, something's got to give.

While The Tigers are seemingly stubborn with Maton, they will have to do something about this at some point.