Zach McKinstry's defensive efforts show exactly why Tigers haven't given up on him

Playoff hopefuls need grinders, too.

Emma Lingan

Detroit Tigers v Chicago White Sox / Matt Dirksen/GettyImages

Detroit Tigers fans, it might be time to admit that we were wrong about Zach McKinstry.

The utility man had been out of the starting lineup to begin the Tigers' series against the Colorado Rockies after a rough start to September that saw him slash .188/.316/.188 over his last seven games.

McKinstry's struggles at the plate in September have been all the more frustrating in light of his red-hot August, during which he slashed a season-best .368/.411/.544 with seven RBI on 25 hits over 23 games. But this kind of streakiness is what Tigers fans have come to expect, causing them to write him off as a potential DFA candidate for much of the season.

Unfortunately, McKinstry's offensive struggles continued as he came in off the bench in each of Detroit's first two games against Colorado. But his defensive prowess in Wednesday's contest offered a reminder that he does bring value to the Tigers beyond just his bat.

Zach McKinstry's defensive efforts show exactly why Tigers haven't given up on him

McKinstry came in to pinch hit for Ryan Kreidler in the seventh inning of Wednesday's 7-4 Tigers win and promptly ended the inning with a fly out to left field. But the top of the eighth saw him remain in the game at third base, where he has only started 16 games this season.

McKinstry was immediately tested at the hot corner, flawlessly fielding back-to-back ground balls and throwing to first baseman Spencer Torkelson to quickly retire the first pair of Rockies batters in the inning.

At 29 years old, McKinstry is an elder statesman in a Tigers clubhouse that has received an injection of youth amid a flurry of minor league call-ups during the second half of the season. That youth movement is largely responsible for catapulting Detroit back into the American League Wild Card chase, a development that few would have expected even a few weeks ago.

Even though McKinstry isn't one of the shiny new toys in the Tigers' lineup, his performance on Wednesday reminded us all of why he was a Gold Glove AL utility finalist while playing six different defensive positions for Detroit in 2023. As a former 33rd-round draft pick, McKinstry is a grinder in the field, and any team hoping to contend for a playoff spot needs those types of players, too.

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Emma Lingan

Emma Lingan is an MLB Staff Writer for FanSided primarily covering the Pittsburgh Pirates. She has been covering baseball for more than a decade dating back to her time as a student at Wake Forest University, and she has won two gold medals as a member of the U.S. National Team delegation (2016 Pan-American Championships & 2017 World Baseball Classic). A native of Washington, D.C. and current resident of Nashville, Tenn., she is also entering her seventh season as a credentialed NHL media member and currently covers the NHL’s Nashville Predators for The Hockey News. When she's not watching hockey, baseball or football, she enjoys podcasting, reading, going to the gym, consuming large amounts of coffee and taking long walks with her dog, Minkah. You can follow her @Emma_lingan on Twitter and Instagram.