Tigers' surprise Silver Slugger nomination proves the Cubs gave up too soon

The American League Silver Slugger finalists have been revealed, and Chicago Cubs fans likely noticed that Alex Bregman got a nom among AL third basemen. It's a guessing game when wondering what impact Bregman would have had for the Cubs in 2025, but he wasn't the only reminder of an offseason decision gone wrong. One of the surprise Silver Slugger nominations was former Cubs' utility man Zach McKinstry.

McKinstry earned a nomination as a utility player, and this past season with the Tigers marked a breakout campaign. In 511 plate appearances, McKinstry slashed .259/.333/.438 with a wRC+ of 114 and 12 home runs. With an ability to play across the infield and each corner outfield spot, McKinstry was an invaluable piece on a Tigers team that flirted with being the best team in baseball for most of the season.

In other words, the Tigers unlocked what the Cubs were looking for in 2022. McKinstry was Michael Busch before the Cubs actually traded for Busch. The Cubs sent relief pitcher Chris Martin to the Dodgers ahead of the 2022 MLB trade deadline in exchange for McKinstry. The hope for the Cubs was that a clearer pathway to plate appearances would allow McKinstry to flash a more consistent offensive profile.

Cubs gave up on him — now he's Detroit's surprise Silver Slugger nomination

It didn't work as the Cubs planned, with the versatile infielder slashing .206/.272/.361 through 171 plate appearances to close out the 2022 campaign. It was apparently all the Cubs needed to see as they traded McKinstry to the Tigers at the end of spring training in 2023.

At the center of McKinstry's struggles with the Cubs was the idea that the team was trying to zero in on his power approach, specifically, his ability to pull the ball and hit it over the fence. There was certainly a belief that McKinstry had untapped power potential during his time with the Dodgers, but it was something that never appeared to be what he was best at. Turns out the Tigers were onto something, allowing McKinstry to be himself and have a more contact-oriented approach.

Even in the years since McKinstry was with the team, the Cubs have struggled to construct a competent bench. 2025 was no different, with the cast of Justin Turner, Jon Berti, Willi Castro, and Carlos Santana all becoming lost causes. As the Cubs look to close the gap between them and the Brewers, finding good bench players (or not trying to change them) might be the key to their offseason.