Zach McKinstry - Page 3 - MLB News, Rumors, & Updates

Zach McKinstry almost tricked Tigers fans into believing a turnaround was coming Zach McKinstry returned to All-Star form at the beginning of June but has turned back into a pumpkin for the Tigers.

JUNE 20 • MOTORCITYBENGALS.COM

Hitting bench Wednesday McKinstry is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Astros.

Impact McKinstry will get the afternoon off after he went 5-for-25 with a solo home run, four walks and four additional runs while starting seven of the Tigers' last eight games. Though he appears to have a grasp on a near-everyday role for now, McKinstry's playing time could dry up if he continues to underwhelm at the plate. He's produced a .168/.258/.245 slash line over 165 plate appearances on the season.

JUNE 17 • ROTOWIRE

Hits rare home run McKinstry went 2-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Thursday's 11-0 win over the Twins.

Impact McKinstry's home run came against Minnesota catcher Alex Jackson in mop-up duty, but he'll take it all the same. The utility infielder has gone deep only twice this season in 45 games, and he's batting just .192 with a .564 OPS. It's a fall off from 2025, when McKinstry went deep 12 times in 144 regular-season contests and posted a .259 batting average along with a career-best .771 OPS.

JUNE 12 • ROTOWIRE

Tigers hit 6 homers in 11-0 rout of Twins

Spencer Torkelson hit one of Detroit’s six homers and the Tigers rolled to an 11-0 win over the Minnesota Twins

JUNE 11 • Associated Press

Making third straight start McKinstry will start in center field and bat eighth in Wednesday's game against the Twins.

Impact After earning a Silver Slugger Award as a utility player in 2025, McKinstry has noticed a big drop in production to begin the current season but has begun to show signs of life at the plate since the calendar flipped to June. Through his first five games on the month, McKinstry has gone 5-for-15 with a triple, four walks and four runs. He'll be rewarded with a third consecutive start and appears to have at least temporarily moved ahead of Matt Vierling and Wenceel Perez in the pecking order for one of two spots at the bottom of the Detroit lineup.

JUNE 10 • ROTOWIRE

Kevin McGonigle's clutch hit with 2 outs in 9th rallies Tigers to 5-4 win over Mariners

Kevin McGonigle homered in the fourth inning and hit a two-run single off All-Star closer Andrés Muñoz with two outs in the bottom of the ninth that gave the Detroit Tigers a 5-4 v...

JUNE 7 • Associated Press

Making first start in center field McKinstry is starting in center field and batting eighth Friday against the Mariners.

Impact It will be McKinstry's first action in center field since the 2023 season. The utility man has played second base, third base, shortstop and right field this season, but his positional versatility allows him to see regular playing time. McKinstry is in the midst of a 1-for-26 skid at the plate and is slashing just .158/.246/.211 with one homer, nine RBI, two runs scored, one stolen base and a 14:23 BB:K across 132 plate appearances this season.

JUNE 5 • ROTOWIRE

Red Sox vs Tigers Highlights ⚾️ MLB on FOX

JUNE 5 • FOX SPORTS

Hitting bench Wednesday McKinstry is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays.

Impact McKinstry had started in each of Detroit's last three games, but he could be at risk of falling into more of a part-time role after the Tigers reinstated Gleyber Torres from the 10-day injured list Tuesday. Since the beginning of May, the Tigers rank 29th in the majors with a .287 wOBA, and McKinstry has played a major part in the team's offensive struggles. During that stretch, McKinstry is slashing just .127/.238/.141 over 86 plate appearances.

JUNE 3 • ROTOWIRE

Tigers fans are turning on Zach McKinstry again as he turns into a lineup black hole The Detroit Tigers are struggling as a whole but Zach McKinstry has drawn the ire of a lot of fans for his regression after a solid 2025 sea...

JUNE 2 • MOTORCITYBENGALS.COM

Vaughn Grissom's grand slam, 6 RBIs lead Angels over Tigers, 10-6

Vaughn Grissom hit a grand slam and drove in six runs as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Detroit Tigers 10-6 on Tuesday night

MAY 27 • Associated Press

On bench for nightcap McKinstry is out of the lineup for the second game of Sunday's doubleheader versus the Orioles.

Impact After going 0-for-3 with a walk as the Tigers' leadoff batter in a 5-3 loss earlier in the day, the left-handed-hitting McKinstry will take a seat for the nightcap while the Orioles send southpaw Trevor Rogers to the bump. Hao-Yu Lee will enter the starting nine in place of McKinstry, covering second base while batting eighth.

MAY 24 • ROTOWIRE

Alonso and Holliday homer and Orioles hand Tigers seventh straight loss with a 7-4 victory

Pete Alonso homered and drove in four runs, Jackson Holliday added a go-ahead two-run shot and the Baltimore Orioles handed the Detroit Tigers their seventh straight loss with a 7-...

MAY 23 • Associated Press

Collects two hits Wednesday McKinstry went 2-for-4 with an RBI in Wednesday's 3-2, 10-inning loss to the Guardians.

Impact McKinstry was the only Detroit player with multiple hits, and it was his first time doing so since all the way back on April 4. It's been a struggle offensively for the veteran utility player, who is batting just .186 with a .503 OPS this season. McKinstry was much better during the 2025 regular season with a .259 average and .771 OPS, but he has career marks of just .229 and .671, respectively, and 2026 has seen regression set in.

MAY 21 • ROTOWIRE

Guardians score twice in the 10th for a 3-2 victory over the slumping Tigers

Angel Martínez hit a tiebreaking triple in the 10th inning, José Ramírez followed with an RBI double and the Cleveland Guardians beat the slumping Detroit Tigers 3-2

MAY 21 • Associated Press

Tanner Bibee K's Zach McKinstry | 05/20/2026 The Official Site of Major League Baseball

MAY 21 • MLB.COM

Torkelson's 2-out single in ninth lifts Tigers to 3-2 victory over Blue Jays

Spencer Torkelson drove in the winning run with an RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning and the Detroit Tigers snapped a three-game losing streak by edging the Toronto Blue...

MAY 16 • Associated Press

The lowlight of the Tigers' 2026 season just dropped and fans are in a dark place The Detroit Tigers' 2026 season has hit a new low after an unfortunate series of events involving Zach Mckinstry.

MAY 14 • MOTORCITYBENGALS.COM

Taking seat against southpaw McKinstry is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Royals.

Impact Though he'll hit the bench Sunday with lefty Noah Cameron taking the hill for the Royals, the left-handed-hitting McKinstry has been included in the lineup in all three of the Tigers' matchups with right-handed starters/bulk relievers since being activated from the injured list Tuesday. McKinstry is playing through a Grade 3 tear of his pelvic bone that he sustained back on April 15, but he'll likely hold down a strong-side platoon role for Detroit until the team gets one or both of Gleyber Torres (oblique) and Javier Baez (ankle) back from the IL.

MAY 10 • ROTOWIRE

Coming back from Grade 3 tear McKinstry revealed Tuesday that he was diagnosed with a Grade 3 tear off the pelvic bone when he was placed on the 10-day injured list in mid-April, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athleti...

Impact The initial feeling was that McKinstry could be shelved for 6-to-8 weeks, but the location of the tear allowed the utility player to return Tuesday after just a three-week absence. The nature of the injury would seem to leave McKinstry susceptible to a setback, but he will attempt to play through it for now. McKinstry is starting at third base and batting eighth Tuesday versus the Red Sox.

MAY 5 • ROTOWIRE

Tigers activate Zach McKinstry and DFA a Zack to make room on MLB roster | Sporting News The Tigers are swapping out one Zack for another Zach.

MAY 5 • SPORTINGNEWS.COM

Activated Tuesday The Tigers reinstated McKinstry (hip) from the 10-day injured list Tuesday, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Impact McKinstry landed on the shelf in mid-April due to hip inflammation, and he's now rejoining the Tigers after going 1-for-11 with a homer during a three-game rehab assignment. Manager A.J. Hinch said earlier in the day that the veteran utility man will be in the lineup for Tuesday's matchup with the Red Sox, but the Tigers have yet to officially release their starting nine for the contest.

MAY 5 • ROTOWIRE

Activation coming Tuesday Manager A.J. Hinch said that McKinstry (hip) will be reinstated from the 10-day injured list and be in the lineup Tuesday against the Red Sox, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Impact The 31-year-old has been sidelined nearly three weeks due to left hip inflammation but is ready to rejoin the Tigers after a three-game rehab assignment. McKinstry has yet to get his bat going this season with a .209/.261/.326 slash line in 46 plate appearances.

MAY 5 • ROTOWIRE

Could be activated Tuesday McKinstry (hip) has rejoined the Tigers in Detroit and could be activated from the 10-day injured list prior to Tuesday's game versus the Red Sox, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com report...

Impact McKinstry is 1-for-11 with a home run in his first three rehab contests. He will go through a workout Monday before the Tigers decide whether McKinstry is ready to be activated Tuesday or needs another rehab game or two. The super utility player has missed more than two weeks with left hip/abdominal inflammation.

MAY 4 • ROTOWIRE

Detroit Tigers Injury Update: Zach McKinstry rehab assignment, Justin Verlander bullpen, Will Vest The Detroit Tigers could soon get one versatile piece back, but two veteran pitchers remain question marks as the club opens a weekend serie...

MAY 2 • MOTORCITYBENGALS.COM

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Tigers hit 6 homers in 11-0 rout of Twins

Kevin McGonigle's clutch hit with 2 outs in 9th rallies Tigers to 5-4 win over Mariners

Red Sox vs Tigers Highlights ⚾️ MLB on FOX

Vaughn Grissom's grand slam, 6 RBIs lead Angels over Tigers, 10-6

Alonso and Holliday homer and Orioles hand Tigers seventh straight loss with a 7-4 victory

Guardians score twice in the 10th for a 3-2 victory over the slumping Tigers

Torkelson's 2-out single in ninth lifts Tigers to 3-2 victory over Blue Jays