Inside Kevin McGonigle's $150 million extension with Tigers: 'Hardwired to be great'
A deal like this carries risks for the player, the team and the clubhouse. But for the Tigers, locking up Kevin McGonigle is a win on all fronts.
Detroit — It was poignant that Colt Keith was the first player to walk into the interview room for Kevin McGonigle’s press conference Wednesday. Keith signed a highly-publicized contract extension with the Tigers in January 2024 before he even made his big-league debut. He was 22.
McGonigle on Wednesday, 17 games into his big-league career, signed an eight-year extension worth $150 million with escalators that could raise that to $160 million. Keith’s deal was six years, $28. 6 million with escalators that could take it over $80 million.
Yet, as a large contingent of players and coaches crammed into the back of the small interview room, nobody was happier for McGonigle than Keith. “Yeah, the market has definitely gone up since I signed my contract,” Keith said with a wry smile. “But I love Kevin.
I want him to get the most out of it. I’m happy for him to get all of that money. For me, it made sense at the time.
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