Thirty games in, where does Tigers' Kevin McGonigle stand in ROY race?

TL;DR

Tigers' Kevin McGonigle is a strong contender for the American League Rookie of the Year, leading the league with a WAR of 2.0. He currently has the second-best odds to win the award at +175, just behind Munetaka Murakami.

Key points

Kevin McGonigle leads the league in WAR at 2.0
He is the second-favorite for AL Rookie of the Year
His odds are +175 as of early Wednesday morning
Munetaka Murakami is the favorite with odds of +155
No Tigers position player has won since Lou Whitaker in 1977

TigersKevin McGonigleMunetaka MurakamiChicago White Sox

The Tigers have a legitimate candidate for American League rookie of the year. And, in a rarity, it's a position player. No Tigers position player has won the award since Lou Whitaker in 1977.

Kevin McGonigle, who leads the league in WAR at 2.0, is making a strong early push to end that drought.

According to the latest odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, McGonigle, 21, the Tigers' shortstop/third baseman, is the second-favorite to win the award in the AL. His odds as of early Wednesday morning were +175 (bet $100 to win $175). Those odds trailed only slugger Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox, who was at +155.

Tigers rookie Kevin McGonigle leads the American League with a WAR of 2.0.

Those two players, McGonigle and Murakami, are by far and away the favorites in the AL at the 30-game mark, nearly one-fifth of the way through the regular season.

McGonigle, a first-round pick out of high school in 2023, made the Tigers' Opening Day roster, had four hits on Opening Day, and has started all but two of the team's games. He currently is on a 12-game hitting streak, and has reached base in 25 consecutive starts, the longest such streak by a Tigers 21 years old or younger since Al Kaline reached base in 34 consecutive starts 70 years ago, from July 26-Aug. 28, 1956. McGonigle's start to his major-league career has been among the hottest stories early in the 2026 season, especially after the Tigers signed him to an eight-year, $150-million extension just days into the season.