Detroit Tigers Slugger Proves One of Top Utility Players in Baseball
The Detroit Tigers are playing important games in the second half of the season for the first time in a long time. Before 2024, the last time they had a winning record at any point after the All-Star break was 2016.
A lot has gone right over the last few weeks for the Tigers to turn things around. A big reason for their success has been producing at the plate.
One player who has stepped up big-time in that regard is Matt Vierling.
Vierling has been integral to the success of Detroit recently. He has been one of the unheralded players of the season and is finally receiving some of the recognition that he deserves from Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report.
The MLB writer recently put together player rankings for each position heading into September. Making his debut on the utility players list is the Tigers' unsung hero.
In the past, being labeled a utility player wasn’t looked upon highly. It was usually meant for players coming off the bench who weren’t good enough at one position to lock down an every day job.
But, in modern baseball, being labeled as a utility guy is a compliment. It means your manager can trust you at different spots around the diamond, providing immense value with their defensive versatility.
A.J. Hinch certainly loves what he has with Vierling, who is providing above-average production at the plate and has logged innings are four different positions with elite defense in the outfield.
“One of the best under-the-radar performances of 2024 belongs to Matt Vierling, who has a 108 OPS+ with 25 doubles, 15 home runs, 50 RBI and 2.5 WAR in 119 games for the Tigers. The 27-year-old has split his time between center field (401.0 innings), third base (311.1 innings), right field (147.0 innings) and left field (67.0 innings) while serving as one of the top run producers in the Detroit lineup,” Reuter wrote.
Coming in at No. 4 on the list, Vierling made a huge jump in the rankings as he wasn’t even ranked the last time Reuter did this. He took the place of the Pittsburgh Pirates Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who dropped to No. 10.
The only players who are ranked ahead of Vierling are Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers (who was the No. 4 ranked shortstop last time before moving back to right field), Jordan Westburg of the Baltimore Orioles and Willi Castro of the Minnesota Twins.
KENNETH TEAPE
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.