Avengers Assemble: McGonigle and Clark Are Bringing a New Era to Detroit

Like Iron Man and Captain America, Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark look destined to lead the “Avenging Tigers” for the next decade-plus.

The two best friends who came up together in the minor leagues have rejoined forces with the Detroit Tigers, and with that pairing has come a youthful boost of energy that has helped Detroit propel itself into second place in the division and just a half-game back from the final Wild Card spot.

With 43 games to go, this is the time of year when most teams start to feel the fatigue. The weight of a late-season grind can feel a little heavier than it did back in April. Yet the Tigers look like a team that has just caught its wind, leapfrogging team after team in the standings.

There are a lot of reasons for Detroit’s turnaround, from trading away its top two pitchers, which seemed to light a fire under the players, to the perfectly timed call-up of Detroit’s No. 1 prospect, Max Clark.

Clark rejoined his best friend, Kevin McGonigle, who was the Tigers’ No. 1 prospect before getting the call to the Opening Day roster. Since then, the two have brought an infectious energy to the clubhouse and onto the field.

That excitement has also found its way into the stands.

In Max Clark’s first home game last night against Cleveland, the fans were beyond electric. They pumped noise through the stadium all game long, feeding that energy back into the team.

It’s been a beautiful sight seeing the resurgence of excitement happening in Detroit.

After being 16 games under .500 at one point this season, the Tigers have soared to 59-60, with a chance to get back to .500 for the first time in 99 days tonight against Cleveland.

Over the last 10 games, Detroit has put that turnaround on full display.

It started with a West Coast trip and the Tigers calling up Clark. Since then, Detroit is 8-2 and has jumped from five teams back in the Wild Card race to becoming the next team knocking on the door to get in.

The Tigers have outscored their opponents 72-21 during those 10 games.

And like the Avengers, the team has many people who have defeated Thanos and will fight against Dr. Doom. Guys like Dillon Dingler, Riley Greene, Troy Melton and everyone else play important parts in winning.

But just like any great superhero team, there are certain players who naturally draw the audience’s eyes more often than not.

In Detroit’s case, it’s the rookies.

Since being called up, Max Clark is batting .293 with an on-base percentage of .370. He’s walked four times, already hit his first home run, has seven RBIs, scored six runs and has a double and a triple to boot.

Clark has reached base in nine of his first 10 games, helping Detroit find a more gritty style of offense. The Tigers don’t have to rely on the long ball like they did in June and July. Instead, August is becoming more about stringing together base knocks and finding ways to score.

McGonigle has been right there with him.

In that same 10-game stretch, McGonigle is batting .268 and has reached base in eight of the 10 games. He has walked eight times while striking out just six times, showing the type of plate discipline that has made him such an exciting part of Detroit’s future.

During that stretch, McGonigle has three home runs, 11 RBIs, 11 runs and a double to boot.

The numbers are impressive, but the bigger story is what these two have brought with them.

McGonigle and Clark are continuing to be the must-see TV all Tigers fans were promised. They’re young, confident, energetic and clearly enjoying playing alongside one another.

And if the first 10 games are any indication, the sky is the limit.