Are Detroit Tigers Considering Moving Colt Keith Back To Second Base?
The Detroit Tigers made a surprising announcement when they shared that Colt Keith would be moving from second base to first.
That allowed them to sign a player like Gleyber Torres, a former two-time All-Star who has hit 20-plus home runs in four out of his seven Major League seasons to give this lineup more pop.
But it also signaled that Spencer Torkelson's time with the franchise could be coming to an end.
Keith already signed a long-term extension with the Tigers ahead of the 2024 season that could keep him with the team through 2032 based on the club options present, so with Torres being brought in and last year's second baseman moving over to first, that suggested the inconsistent Torkelson might be out of a roster spot.
But perhaps the strong spring from the former No. 1 overall pick is changing that thought process.
The talent is there for Torkelson, so if he can find his swing against MLB pitchers, then he's someone who should be a featured part of the lineup.
That's why it was eye-catching when manager A.J. Hinch rolled out a group that featured Keith back to his previous position at second base.
Is Detroit having second thoughts about their plan to move Keith to first?
It doesn't sound like it.
"... there is gonna be a day when Gleyber (is the desginated hitter) or is off and Colt moves over and we play somebody else at first base. It's preparing him for the fact that anything can happen," the skipper said, per Jeff Seidel of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required).
OK, so this seems to fit in more with the roster and position flexibility ethos that Hinch has carried with him since taking over as manager of the Tigers instead of overtly rethinking their decision.
But what he said next is also noteworthy.
"The other key takeaway about that is, we are not giving up on second base for him ... That's still gonna be part of what he does," Hinch added.
What could that mean going forward?
It seems like Keith's move to first base could be more of a short-term solution instead of a true position switch, having him play that position this year with a potential to move back to second base if Torkelson can show he belongs in the bigs or if they can sign a high-priced star free agent.
That's almost a complete flip from how this was being posed at the beginning of the offseason.
Perhaps this was always the plan and Hinch is just now letting everyone know.
One thing remains clear, though; there is always something going on regarding how these young Detroit players are going to be used, and the skipper is going to be the one pushing the buttons to make everything work.
