Tigers Explore Trade to Reunite with All-Star, Move McGonigle to Shortstop

Proposed deal would upgrade from struggling Javier Baez at shortstop.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 6:38pm

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A vibrant, cubist-style painting depicting a baseball game broken down into overlapping geometric shapes and planes of color, capturing the dynamic energy of the sport.A bold trade move could help the Tigers optimize their young talent and accelerate their rebuild.Today in Detroit

The Detroit Tigers made a bold move calling up prospect Kevin McGonigle from Double-A to the majors, and so far it has paid off. However, McGonigle is currently playing third base, while Javier Baez, the Tigers' regular shortstop, is off to a slow start. FanSided's Austin Owens suggests the Tigers could explore a trade to bring back a two-time All-Star to play shortstop, allowing them to move McGonigle to his natural position.

Why it matters

The Tigers are looking to build around their young talent like McGonigle, but Baez's struggles at shortstop could hinder their progress. Upgrading that position with an established veteran could help the team take the next step in their rebuild.

The details

Owens proposes the Tigers could target a trade for a two-time All-Star shortstop making $9.4 million per year. This would allow them to move McGonigle, who has impressed so far in his MLB debut, to his natural position at shortstop.

  • The Tigers called up Kevin McGonigle from Double-A earlier this season.

The players

Kevin McGonigle

A Tigers prospect who was called up from Double-A and is currently playing third base in the majors.

Javier Baez

The Tigers' regular shortstop who is off to a slow start this season.

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What’s next

The Tigers will need to evaluate Baez's performance in the coming weeks to determine if a trade for an upgrade at shortstop is necessary.

The takeaway

The Tigers are committed to developing their young talent, but may need to make a bold move to upgrade the shortstop position and put their rebuild on the fastest track to contention.