Monday, October 26

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DETROIT -- The Tigers have gone 10 years since their last American League Rookie of the Year winner, right-hander Michael Fulmer.

Ten years before Fulmer, Justin Verlander won AL Rookie of the Year honors in 2006.

Fifty years ago, Mark Fidrych ran away with Rookie of the Year honors with his magical season in 1976.

Kevin McGonigle and his Rookie of the Year case are right on track to continue the pattern.

Once the World Series ends, baseball’s Hot Stove season begins. But so does awards season, recognizing the greatest individual efforts from the year. The Tigers, despite a disappointing year in the standings, are in line to be well represented for individual honors.

None might be bigger than McGonigle, whose 2026 season arguably surpassed the loftiest of expectations when the Tigers put their top prospect on their Opening Day roster out of Spring Training.

McGonigle led all American League players, not just rookies, with 7.1 bWAR.

McGonigle is the first rookie to post at least 97 runs, 28 doubles, 18 home runs, 72 RBIs and 95 walks since Ted Williams in 1939. He was second among American Leaguers with 6.0 offensive bWAR, trailing only Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez, and sixth with 1.9 defensive bWAR.

McGonigle is the fourth rookie to post at least 95 walks and 95 runs scored since the Rookie of the Year Award was established in 1947, joining Aaron Judge (2017), Hall of Famer Joe Morgan (1965) and Jim Gilliam (1953).

With 168 hits, 95 walks and three hit-by-pitches, McGonigle is the fourth player since 1990 to reach base safely at least 266 times in his rookie season, joining Judge (286 in 2017), Ichiro Suzuki (280 in 2001) and Albert Pujols (272 in 2001). All three won the Rookie of the Year Award in their respective leagues.

McGonigle’s 95 walks are tied for the fifth most by a rookie since 1947 and are the most since Judge’s 127 walks in 2017. They’re the sixth most by any player in his age-21 season or younger, behind Rickey Henderson (117 in 1980), Mike Trout (110 in 2013), Juan Soto (108 in 2019), Eddie Mathews (99 in 1953) and Morgan (97 in 1965).

McGonigle faces tough competition from Guardians pitcher Parker Messick, but two other rookie awards have gone in McGonigle’s favor. He was named Baseball America’s MLB Rookie of the Year earlier this month, the Tigers’ first winner since Verlander. Then last week, The Sporting News honored him as AL Rookie of the Year, as voted on by Major League players.

The three finalists for AL Rookie of the Year, as voted on by 30 members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, will be announced on MLB Network on Nov. 2. The winner will be announced on MLB Network on Nov. 9, starting a week of BBWAA awards that concludes a few days later with AL MVP, where McGonigle could get some down-ballot votes.

It’s not just the prestige that stands to benefit the Tigers. If McGonigle wins, the Tigers will receive an extra pick in the next MLB Draft at the end of the first round under the Prospect Promotion Incentive, created a few years ago to reward clubs for calling up top prospects at the start of a season. Incidentally, that pick could end up right around the same range where the Tigers selected McGonigle with a Competitive Balance pick (37th overall) in the 2023 Draft.

McGonigle isn’t the only Tiger who could be celebrating awards season. Dillon Dingler and Zach McKinstry are finalists for a Rawlings Gold Glove Award, to be announced Sunday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Both won Fielding Bible Awards last week at catcher and multi-position, respectively. Dingler, who won last year’s AL Gold Glove at catcher, is trying to join Ivan Rodriguez, Lance Parrish and Bill Freehan among Tigers to repeat the feat.

McGonigle and Dingler are also finalists for All-MLB Team honors at their respective positions, along with Riley Greene. Winners, as voted on by fan balloting earlier this month and a panel of media members, broadcasters, ex-players and officials, will be announced on Nov. 11 as part of the MLB Awards.

Team awards are also coming up. The Detroit chapter of Baseball Writers' Association of America will announce its Tiger of the Year award on Wednesday, Nov. 4. McGonigle could become the first rookie to win the award since Greene in 2022, and just the second in 50 years since Fidrych won it in 1976.

Of course, baseball’s offseason is about more than awards. It’s also about player movement and roster building, making this a key stretch for the Tigers as they try to get back into postseason contention.

Once the World Series ends, eligible free agents can begin talking with other clubs. That includes Tigers players Gleyber Torres, Jack Flaherty and Tyler Kinley. The Tigers have five days after the World Series to decide on contract options for pitchers Kenley Jansen ($12 million option or $2 million buyout) and Drew Anderson ($10 million option, no buyout). Free agents can talk contracts and sign with other clubs starting five days after the World Series ends.

At the same time, the Tigers will have to move injured players from the 60-day injured list back onto the 40-man roster. Nine Tigers are currently on the 60-day IL, including Kerry Carpenter, Reese Olson, Trey Sweeney and Will Vest.

MLB’s general managers will gather in Las Vegas Nov. 9-12 for the GM Meetings, where trade talks frequently get started.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame will announce its player ballot for BBWAA voters on Monday, Nov. 16.

This year’s deadline for teams to set 40-man rosters and protect prospects from the Rule 5 Draft is Tuesday, Nov. 17. Detroit has a couple ranked prospects to protect with slugging catcher/first baseman Josue Briceño and sweet-swinging infielder Max Anderson. 

The deadline to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players is Friday, Nov. 20.

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