Going back to June, the Detroit Tigers have been a virtual lock for the playoffs. While most teams will be making their September call-ups for a closer look at the future, the Tigers will be calling up players who can help now and potentially earn them a bye in next month’s wild card round.
The Tigers could use a few things down the stretch, including help for the bullpen. But they may also be looking to add an extra bat to their lineup. It could lead them to turn to a prospect that failed to seize his spot at the beginning of the year but could have a chance to make an impact at the end of it if he finishes the month of August strong.
Jace Jung Can Play Himself Back to the Majors in the Next 10 Days
Detroit was hoping that Jace Jung could seize the third base job at the beginning of the 2025 campaign, but early-season struggles made him an afterthought. Jung hit just .111/.245/.111 with three RBI in 18 games to open the year and was immediately sent down to Triple-A Toledo.
The move was disappointing but ultimately worked out in the Tigers' favor. Zach McKinstry became an All-Star in relief of Jung, but it left some uncertainty about Jung’s role in the organization. As it turned out, Jung got his most prolonged taste of Triple-A after playing 91 games in Toledo before his call-up last season and has performed well, hitting .236/.359/.424 with 14 homers and 54 RBI.
Jung’s month of August hasn’t gone perfectly, hitting .250/.313/.409 with five doubles, three homers and 15 RBI in 96 games. But he’s turned it up over the past week, going 8-for-26 at the plate with a pair of home runs, six RBI, three walks and five strikeouts.
McKinstry has cooled off after a hot start to the season, hitting .207/.270/.391 with two homers and 11 RBI in his last 30 games. The Tigers have also used Andy Ibañez, Colt Keith, and Javier Báez at third base, but nobody has been able to lock down the position for the long haul.
Perhaps this is what the Tigers wanted. While Jung's numbers aren’t a considerable improvement on the .257/.377/.454 line with 14 homers and 60 RBI that he put up with the Mud Hens in 2024, he’s shown enough power and patience at the plate to help the Tigers’ lineup down the stretch and potentially claim a spot in the lineup as Detroit heads into the postseason.