SAN DIEGO –Kevin McGoniglelooked like a veteran all day.
It was hisMLB debut.
TheDetroit Tigers' 21-year-old top prospect stepped to the plate five times Thursday, March 26, against the San Diego Padres, batting sixth and playing third base – and he came away with four hits, including a two-run double on the first pitch he saw from right-handerNick Pivettain the first inning.
"I was nervous," said McGonigle, who only got four hours of sleep the night before his first game. "It's weird. Right when I started my load to hit, it just went away. I felt great out there."
McGonigle teamed up with aceTarik Skubalto set the tone for the 2026 Tigers inan 8-2 win over the Padres, securing a 1-0 record. Both players are the early favorites for American League awards: McGonigle for Rookie of the Year, Skubal for his third straight Cy Young.
More importantly, the Tigers haveWorld Series championship aspirations.
They'll need McGonigle's help to get there.
He made an unforgettable first impression in Thursday's win, becoming the first Tigers player sinceBilly Beanon April 25, 1987, to record four hits in his MLB debut. They're the only two players in franchise history to do so.
"I mean, I guess I gotta start not sleeping before every game – because last night, I barely got any sleep," McGonigle said.
Inside the clubhouse, teammates reacted to McGonigle's historic performance.
"He's a pretty special player," Skubal said.
"I feel like he's not scared of anything," outfielderRiley Greenesaid.
ManagerA.J. Hinchsaw the same thing from the dugout.
"He can hit," Hinch said. "He won't be as nervous as that at-bat, and if that's the nervous version of him, we're in for a fun year. I like the fact that he was aggressive on his pitch. That set the tone for a really good day, for him and for us."
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In the first inning, McGonigle pulled the first pitch he saw – an up-and-in cutter from Pivetta – into right field for a two-run double. In the third, he pulled Pivetta's up-and-in fastball off the right-field wall for a double. In the ninth inning, he pulled a middle-in sinker from left-handed relieverWandy Peraltafor a single.
McGonigle loves to hit all kinds of fastballs on the inner half of the plate.
He took advantage of three opportunities.
"It's just incredible, right?" Greene said. "When I had my debut, I couldn't feel my body and didn't really know what was happening. It looked like that was his 700th game out there. Four hits, it's pretty cool to see."
In the fifth inning, McGonigle tapped a changeup from right-handed relieverRon Marinacciofor a slow roller on the infield grass, but he hustled to beat the bare-handed throw for an infield single, registering an elite sprint speed of 30.2 feet per second.
Sneaky speed is another element of his game.
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The way McGonigle handled his second plate appearance shows the makings of an on-base machine, both now and in the future, as he battled back from down 0-2 in the count against Pivetta. He refused to chase an up-and-away fastball, fouled a bottom-of-the-zone curveball and refused to chase a curveball in the dirt – leading to a 2-2 count.
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He hit the ensuing up-and-in fastball for his second hit of the game.
"The same approach I have in two strikes is to go up there and battle," McGonigle said. "It's me versus him, and I got to keep that same mindset that I'm better than the guy out there on the mound. I fell down 0-2 and was able to battle back and get a barrel on the ball."
The hits kept coming.
He had four by the end of his first game.
"Is there some sort of record?" Skubal said, wondering about the historical context of McGonigle collecting four hits in his MLB debut. "It has to be, right?"
He is the 25th player to do it.
"Wow," Skubal said.
One player had five hits.
"Really?" Skubal said.
Here's the best stat from McGonigle's MLB debut: He became the 15th player in MLB history aged 21 or younger to reach base four times on Opening Day, doing it on the same day as Boston Red Sox outfielderRoman Anthony.
The other 13 players on the list:Eddie Collins,Rabbit Maranville,Jimmie Foxx,Dario Lodigiani,Eddie Yost,Mickey Mantle,Brooks Robinson,Joe Lahoud,Gary Carter,Roberto Alomar,Delino DeShields,Ken Griffey Jr.andJoe Mauer.
Nine of them are in the Hall of Fame.
"He's a special talent," Skubal said. "He doesn't need any help. He just needs to be Kevin. He's a really good baseball player, and he proved it today, but what I love about him is I don't think he's going to think about today tomorrow. That speaks to who he is as a human, just as a competitor. I'm excited that he's on our club."
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McGonigle soaked up the moment with his family.
His parents and a few other family members made the trip to San Diego, traveling all the way from his hometown of Aldan, Pennsylvania, only 10 miles from downtown Philadelphia. Everyone arrived late Wednesday, less than 24 hours before his first game, but he still carved out a few minutes to spend time with them.
The next day, McGonigle met up with his family on the field after Thursday's game.
He gave his first-hit baseball to his parents.
"I'm just happy we won today," McGonigle said.
The moment didn't change him.
None of this has.
"If it changes, let me know," Hinch said. "It's been the same for 45 straight days in camp. Nothing seems to bother him or shake him outside of the competition. He's pretty competitive with himself. He's pretty competitive with the opponent. He considers it the same game he's always been playing, and you can tell by the way he controls his actions."
Contact Evan Petzold atepetzold@freepress.comor follow him@EvanPetzold.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press:Kevin McGonigle brings big bat for Detroit Tigers in Opening Day debut