Tigers Ready To Change Position of Their Young Star Once Again

The Detroit Tigers might just be about to get creative with how they solve some of their biggest issues ahead of the dog days of summer.

With the best record in all of Major League Baseball, the Tigers have been linked to some high-profile names at the trade deadline as everyone tries to figure out how they can upgrade.

However, Detroit may believe they can upgrade from within.

Even going back to the offseason, the Tigers were linked to some of the biggest names available at third base. It didn't work out, and they have since been rewarded with an OPS that ranks almost dead last in all of baseball.

There are names who could make sense in a trade to upgrade that position, but at least for now, it looks like Detroit is instead going to try something else.

A.J. Hinch Says Colt Keith Will Get Time at Third Base for Tigers

Hinch has never been afraid to move his chess pieces around both in the field and in the lineup, and it looks like young slugger Colt Keith may be making another major positional switch after changing to first base from second this past spring.

The skipper spoke about the reasoning for Keith getting reps at the hot corner in practice and soon in games.

"We're curious about how we can maximize this roster," Hinch said via the Detroit Free Press. "I don't know that it will be something that is primary, or I don't know that it's something you're going to see a lot of, but there are a lot of times during games — as we do use our whole roster — where being able to put him over there could be very advantageous."

Keith actually came up for most of his time in the minor leagues as a third baseman, but the team decided to move him to second due to a labrum problem which limited his arm strength potential.

Clearly, they now feel comfortable enough with that labrum for Keith to at least get some run there in the big leagues for the first time.

Already signed to a six-year contract extension, it would likely benefit both Keith and the Tigers if he were to settle in somewhere permanently.

If that settling in were to happen at third, it could have the potential to solve a major issue for Detroit both this season and beyond.