WEST SACRAMENTO, CA – As the Detroit Tigers opened a nine-game, 10-day road trip against the Athletics on Friday, July 31, rookie center fielder Max Clark was set to make his big-league debut … in a minor-league park, which his running mate, Kevin McGonigle, found a touch amusing, and his manager, Hinch, thought ultimately didn’t matter.
“You come to the big leagues, the emotions are going to be the same,” Hinch said of Sutter Health Park, the field hosting the Athletics and Triple-A Sacramento RiverCats until the A’s complete their move to Las Vegas (scheduled for the 2028 season). “His whole family, I think, was in the lobby [at] the hotel, and it doesn’t matter what the circumstance is.”
McGonigle and Clark dreamt of playing together at the big-league level for the Tigers when they were drafted together in the first round – Clark at No. 3 overall, McGonigle at No. 37 – in 2023. McGonigle beat his draftmate and frequent teammate to the majors, with an Opening Day roster spot, but on Friday, he said he’s been following Clark’s torrid July in Toledo closely.
“Super, super excited to share the field with him again,” the All-Star rookie said Friday. “Feels like it’s been forever, even though it’s been since spring. … Looking forward to sharing a locker with him for a long time. … It’s good to feed off each other.”
Clark slashed .261/.342/.388 over the first three months of teh season, then turned it on in July with a .338/.466/.620 line that included 16 walks and 16 strikeouts in 88 plate appearances.
Hinch said Clark will play regularly in center field. With James Outman still around – the Tigers plan to use him to give Clark a day off or possibly next to Clark in a corner spot for late-inning defensive help – Javier Báez will primarily play in the infield, which could take innings from Zach McKinstry and push Colt Keith to more DH appearances.
Contact Shawn Windsor: swindsor@freepress.com. Follow him @shawnwindsor.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Kevin McGonigle reunited with Max Clark: ‘Good to feed off each other’
Reporting by Shawn Windsor, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Shawn Windsor, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
