SAN DIEGO – Kevin McGonigle batted sixth in the Tigers' lineup for his MLB debut in part because manager A.J. Hinch didn’t want him waiting around two or three innings for his first at-bat. Baseball's No. 2 prospect didn’t have to wait long to get his chance to make an impact, becoming the first Tiger with a three-hit game in his big league debut since Shannon Penn in 1995.
Stepping to the plate with the bases loaded and one out, McGonigle lined his first big league pitch -- a Nick Pivetta cutter -- into right field for a two-run double, helping turn an early scoring opportunity into a four-run first inning that put Detroit in early command of their Opening Day matchup with the Padres.
Two innings later, McGonigle doubled again, this time with a drive off the right-field wall to help set off a two-run third inning and etch his place in the franchise record books. He became the first Tiger with multiple extra-base hits in his Major League debut on Opening Day, and the first Tiger since Billy Bean in 1987 with multiple extra-base hits in his debut at any point in a season.
The first inning presented the kind of opportunity the Tigers have looked to become more ruthless at converting for two seasons. And it’s the kind of impact they think McGonigle can make as a 21-year-old rookie whose mature approach and disciplined at-bats allowed him to bypass Triple-A Toledo and become the youngest Tiger to start on Opening Day since Omar Infante in 2003.
“We don’t need him to be the savior,” president of baseball operations Scott Harris said Wednesday. “We don’t need him to carry us. We just need him to help us. This roster is pretty darn good with or without Kevin. We just think it’s better with him on it, and that’s why he’s here.”
Asked if there was a message in batting McGonigle sixth, Hinch said, “The message was putting him on the team. That’s a big enough message.”
The at-bats unfolded quickly ahead of McGonigle as Detroit pounced on early struggles from Pivetta. Four consecutive Tigers reached safely after Kerry Carpenter’s leadoff strikeout, including back-to-back walks from Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson.
After Greene battled through a full count for a walk that loaded the bases, Torkelson took four pitches out of the zone to force in a run. Pivetta had thrown five consecutive balls when McGonigle stepped to the plate for the first time in the big leagues.
McGonigle showed an ability to be patient yet opportunistic in Spring Training, a reflection of his innate ability to judge the strike zone and recognize pitches on which he can do damage. When Pivetta’s first pitch cut into the middle of the zone, Detroit's top prospect pounced.
The Tigers’ dugout roared as McGonigle made the turn around first and Greene followed Colt Keith home, turning a 1-0 game into a 3-0 advantage. McGonigle slid into second and flexed, much to his teammates’ delight.
McGonigle’s second double was a better example of how tenacious a hitter he can be. Pivetta put him in an 0-2 hole, but McGonigle declined to chase -- not the 0-2 high fastball, nor the 1-2 curveball in the dirt. Pivetta tried to challenge him with a fastball at the top of the zone, and McGonigle crushed it, a 105.9 mph line drive off the wall.
While McGonigle returned to second, Torkelson -- whose single led off the inning -- rolled into third. Both scored on Parker Meadows’ one-out bloop single, extending Detroit’s lead to 6-0 and giving starter Tarik Skubal ample support.
McGonigle, having shown off his plate discipline and power, saved his speed for his third hit, a slow grounder back up the middle that forced shortstop Xander Bogaerts to charge from behind second base to field with his momentum going away from first. McGonigle raced down the line, reaching an elite sprint speed of 30.2 feet per second to beat the throw. Dillon Dingler allowed him to trot home by hitting a two-run home run off the facing of the second deck in left field for an 8-0 lead.