The Detroit Tigers' utility man is named among the biggest snubs for the 2025 All-Star team.
The Detroit Tigers are sending four players to the 2025 MLB All-Star Game. Javier Baez, Riley Greene, and Gleyber Torres are all starters. Tarik Skubal is the only pitcher for Detroit to make it, and he could start the game as well.
But, according to Chad Jennings of The Athletic, the Tigers have another player who should be on his way down to Atlanta with the rest of his teammates for the All-Star game. That player is utility man Zach McKinstry.
"It's hard to find a clear path for a guy like McKinstry to make an All-Star team," Jennings said. "He's 11th in the AL in fWAR, but he's gotten there by playing third base, right field, left field, and shortstop."
McKinstry has played all over the field for the Tigers, but with no utility spot on the All-Star team, he was left off the All-Star team. While other third basemen could be deserving of a spot on the All-Star team, McKinstry's versatility holds him back is why Jennings named him one of his biggest All-Star game snubs.
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Through 82 games this season, McKinstry has 77 hits, 45 runs scored, 12 doubles, eight triples, six home runs, 26 RBIs, 11 stolen bases, 29 walks, and 68 strikeouts. He's batting .285 with a .456 slugging percentage, and a career high .812 OPS.
This has been his best season in the big leagues by far, and after struggling to find a home with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs, he's finally found a team where he can thrive.
The 30-year-old is locked up through 2027, so Detroit will have one of the best utility men in the game for the next few seasons. While not the most prolific player in any category, he's just an all-around solid player.
Part of what makes him valuable to the Tigers, however, is what keeps him out of the All-Star game. By playing all over the field, he's not able to separate himself from the full-time position players at third base and in the outfield.
But, if the All-Star game reserved a spot for a utility man, McKinstry would have good odds to land such a spot. While not the prototypical All-Star, McKinstry has done more than enough to warrant consideration, which is why Jennings named him as one of the biggest snubs from this year's All-Star teams.
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Category: Baseball
