Hinch's reassurance has McKinstry carrying '24 surge into new year

This story was excerpted from Jason Beck’s Tigers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

The Tigers entered the season with questions at third base and right field after Jace Jung’s option to Triple-A Toledo and Matt Vierling’s shoulder injury. It says a lot about Zach McKinstry’s versatility and hot start that the former Central Michigan Chippewa has been a big part of the answer at both spots.

It’s quite the turn from last summer, when manager A.J. Hinch felt compelled to reassure McKinstry that he still had a spot on the roster.

While Jung was knocking on the door with a strong summer in Toledo and the Tigers were looking at their options at third base, Hinch pulled McKinstry aside and let him know he wasn’t at risk of being designated for assignment and cut loose.

“I felt it was important to let him know how much trust I had in him and security he had on this team,” Hinch explained. “I want players to know before they start to worry.”

McKinstry had a .175 batting average and .520 OPS on Aug. 1. From that point on, he hit 31-for-108 (.287) with eight RBIs, 15 runs scored and a .776 OPS. He then went 3-for-7 with a solo homer in postseason play, sharing time at third base.

So far this season, McKinstry has been a quiet force behind the Tigers’ strong start. Only Spencer Torkelson has been worth more wins above replacement than McKinstry (0.7 bWAR) among Tigers position players, according to Baseball Reference. His offensive numbers aren’t necessarily flashy, but they’re efficient, and they fit the philosophy of the Tigers’ offense.

McKinstry moved up to third in the batting order for Thursday’s series opener against the Royals, tucked between sluggers Kerry Carpenter and Torkelson. He walked and scored in the Tigers’ three-run third inning, then bolted down the line to beat out a double-play throw from Bobby Witt Jr. and drive in an insurance run in a two-run eighth inning in the 6-1 win.

“Him beating out that double play kept that inning alive and allowed us to separate a little bit,” Hinch said.

Add in opportunistic baserunning and above-average defense at several spots, plus the ability to shift positions in game -- he moved from the infield to the outfield in a game four times in a 10-day stretch -- and McKinstry has been an all-around contributor.

“He makes it look a lot easier than it is,” Hinch said.

The assurances he received during his struggles made a big difference.

“I feel a lot more confident at the plate,” McKinstry said of his season. “Getting the job done is always helpful with that. And my defense is kind of like a Cadillac -- durable and sustainable -- and that helps me out a lot, too.”