Tigers still have uncertainty at third base heading into Opening Day

It was presumed that the Detroit Tigers had signed their everyday third baseman when they brought in veteran infielder Gio Urshela on a one year $1.5M contract earlier this year.

Though not a superstar, Urshela is going into his ninth MLB season and the expectation was that he would bring some much-needed consistency to the hot corner after manager A.J. Hinch went with a platoon for all of 2023.

Urshela, a former Gold Glove finalist, has been competing at third during spring training with the platoon members from last year — Matt Vierling, Zach McKinstry and Andy Ibáñez — but surprisingly, nine days before Opening Day, he's not yet set himself apart from the pack.

"It's still very competitive who's going to get the reps at third base," Hinch recently said, according to Evan Petzold of "The Detroit Free Press".

In fact, though Urshela is the veteran and proven commodity, it seems as if Hinch is willing to give Vierling a shot to prove himself over the last few games of spring training.

Vierling is expected to play three of the Tigers' next four spring training games at third base, despite also being able to play in the outfield.

"It's still very much an emphasis for him," Hinch said of Vierling. "We're trying to gauge how I'm going to use the team and where these guys are going to play. I tried to center the beginning of camp a little bit mixed, the middle of camp more outfield and the end of the camp more infield, and then we'll get into the season."

Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris brought in Vierling, infielder Nick Maton (no longer with the team) and catcher Donny Sands via 2023 trade with the Philadelphia Phillies for pitcher Gregory Soto and infielder Kody Clemens.

Vierling was seen as a "toolsy" utility player who could be an asset on the basepath because of his speed, and he finished 2023 averaging .261 from the plate with 10 home runs, 44 RBI and an OPS of .717.

Urshela played just 60 games for the Los Angeles Angels last season due to injury, hitting .299 from the plate with just two home runs and 24 RBI with an OPS of .703.

Entering this past Tuesday's game against the Phillies, Urshela has played third for 39 of his 56 spring training innings while Vierling has been at the hot corner for just 14 of his 58. This, according to Petzold.