Tigers fans are already getting their hopes up for an extension after Kevin McGonigle’s latest comments

No one expected Kevin McGonigle to hit his first major league home run in the first game — maybe even the first series — of his career, but 15 games and almost five series in, it felt like it was only a matter of time. He was due.

Going into Sunday's series finale against the Marlins, the odds were against him. The Tigers were facing former Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara, whose first three starts made him look like he was preparing to come for Paul Skenes' crown.

But Dillon Dingler gave Detroit a quick lead with a three-run homer in the first while Tarik Skubal kept Miami's offense at bay. McGonigle flew out in his first plate appearance, but it was the only out he would make all afternoon. He singled his next time up, and then there it was: his first career home run, 408 feet to right center, leaving the bat at 108.8 MPH, off of a Cy Young winner.

He walked and singled again before the day was over — 8-2, Tigers — and the Tigers walked away with a series sweep.

He said after the game, "It meant everything, especially doing it in front of the city. I love this place already. Looking forward to a long future here."

"A long future," huh? So how 'bout that contract extension?

Kevin McGonigle "looking forward to a long future" with Tigers after first career homer

McGonigle is, of course, under team control for the better part of a decade, which is a long time. But we'll happily read into his comments as a wink-nudge about how extension negotations might be getting along.

After Konnor Griffin's deal with the Pirates was finalized, Jeff Passan reported that the Tigers and McGonigle had been engaged in similar talks, though they weren't close to a resolution. The simple fact that the Tigers are actually working on something is reassuring, but we're already getting restless just 16 games into McGonigle's young career.

Let's just hope that they're not low-balling him to an insulting degree the same way they did with Skubal a few years ago. McGonigle might be new here, but he (or, more realistically, his agent) knows his value. He started building a case for himself to go home with a massive payday with his very first major league swing.

So how about it, Scott Harris? You wanna get a move on?