Detroit Tigers: Renato Núñez has proved he should be given a chance

The Detroit Tigers signed infielder Renato Núñez this offseason, and it appears as if he is going to be around for the long haul. Núñez is dubbed as a corner infielder, with the ability to play first or third base, but he is likely going to be a first baseman with the Tigers organization.

With the Detroit Tigers organization wrapping up Spring Training down in Lakeland, the team has to make its final roster decisions. Núñez was a non-roster invitee to Spring Training but is likely to stick with the team.

The only thing holding back Núñez from being named to the roster would be the persistence of Miguel Cabrera. While Núñez seems like he would add a nice power boost to the Tigers lineup, Cabrera has made It quite clear that he wants to play first base and be in the field more often than not for the 2021 season.

If the Tigers have any sort of sense, they will avoid this. While yes, leaving Cabrera to the designated hitter slot may not be the most beneficial, it seems like it is in the best interest of Cabrera. Staying healthy is key for “Miggy,” and keeping him as a designated hitter more often than not will help that.

The Detroit Tigers should be looking to utilize Renato Núñez as a source of power for their lineup in 2021.

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It has been pretty clear that the Tigers lineup has its struggles, but if they choose to keep Núñez around, they will benefit greatly.

Adding some power and hoping to see some more runs being manufactured will only help them in the long run as they try to continue moving out of the rebuild.

Núñez has spent the last five years bouncing around the big leagues, looking to stick.

He spent the last two-plus years in Baltimore, where he was able to lock in as a player who received a good amount of playing time.

Last year, in 2020, Núñez played in 52 of the 60 games where he hit .256/.324/.492 with 12 long balls and 31 total RBI for the Orioles. The year before that, in a full, 162-game season for the Orioles, Núñez was able to flex that power a little bit.

In 2019, Núñez would play in 151 games for the Orioles, where he hit .244/.311/.460 with 31 home runs and 90 RBI, flexing some muscle. He proved he can add some pop to a lineup, even on a rebuilding team.

Personally, I would say that Núñez would have reached 100 RBI on a team that actually got on base and was producing runs, not the Orioles who are rebuilding just like the Tigers organization. That being said, it is fair to say that Núñez should be able to find easy success with the Tigers as they continue on with the rebuild.

Keep an eye on the Detroit Tigers to see what happens with Renato Núñez as the 2021 season approaches.