Trey

Sweeney

Harris stated that the team still sees a role for Báez in 2025, “particularly if surgery helps him move more like his younger form.” Neither Harris nor manager A.J. Hinch would commit to that role for Báez being a starting role. The Tigers got solid production from rookie Trey Sweeney after Báez went down, so the two would likely battle for the starting shortstop job in spring, but with Colt Keith also locked into the starting second base job, there may not be a starting opportunity for Báez in 2025.

Sweeney has opened the postseason 1-for-10 after finishing the regular season 1-for-17 in his final five games. The Tigers don’t really have anyone else they want to use at shortstop, but they could try for more offense by putting Zach McKinstry there and using Matt Vierling at third and Wenceel Pérez in the outfield. McKinstry’s just as cold as Sweeney, though.

Sweeney’s ninth inning single plated Spencer Torkelson and saved the Tigers from a shutout. He’s held his own fairly well through his first stint in the major leagues with a .703 OPS and has found some power with three home runs in his last 15 games.

A monster game for Sweeney, one that reminded of why he was a first-round pick by the Yankees back in 2021. He took J.T. Ginn deep in the third for his third homer of the season, while the steal was his second. Sweeney has hit .236/.276/.436 so there’s been just as much bad as good in his 19 games — if not more — but Sunday was at least something that should make fantasy managers raise their respective eyebrows.

Runs were hard to come by in Saturday’s pitcher’s duel between Tarik Skubal and Nick Pivetta. Sweeney brought both of Detroit’s runs in to score with a double in the second inning, scoring Zach McKinstry and Spencer Torkelson. The 24-year-old shortstop is slashing .194/.216/.333 with one homer and five RBI across 37 plate appearances.

Sweeney took Jameson Taillon deep for a two-run shot in the second inning to put the Tigers on the board. It was the first career home run for the 24-year-old shortstop, playing his third career game. Sweeney has some power and speed potential after hitting 15 homers and stealing 20 bases in the minors, but he brings with him a questionable hit tool with a high strikeout rate.

The 31-year-old slugger’s return to Wrigley Field went up in flames on Tuesday as Baez went hitless in four at-bats with four strikeouts. Trey Sweeney will start in his place on Wednesday night (and hopefully the remainder of the season) and will bat eighth against Jameson Taillon.

Sweeney was acquired by the Tigers at the trade deadline in the deal with the Dodgers for Jack Flaherty. The former first round pick has 15 home runs and 20 steals this year at Triple-A. He should be rostered in AL-Only formats now and could have decent value if he gets regular playing time in Detroit.

Sweeney was the ancillary prospect acquired last month at the trade deadline from the Dodgers, in addition to headliner Thayron Liranzo, as part of the Jack Flaherty swap. The 24-year-old former first-round pick by the Yankees from the 2021 MLB Draft will be making his big league debut when he gets into a game for Detroit. He’s put up strong numbers this season with a .267/.345/.450 with 15 homers and 20 steals across 487 plate appearances at the Triple-A level. There isn’t a ton of fantasy appeal here, but he’s the type of streaky hitter that could make a difference in AL-only formats if he manages to carve out an everyday role.

A former first round pick by the Yankees in 2021, Sweeney hit .255 with a .761 OPS, 13 home runs and 62 RBI in 96 games at Triple-A. The 24-year-old isn’t far away from being major league ready, but is more of a bench bat. He’s more of a potential Zach McKinstry replacement than a legitimate solution to the Javier Baez problem in Detroit.