Getty

Kevin McGonigle #7 of the Detroit Tigers will bat second on Thursday vs. the Angels.

The 22-34 Detroit Tigers host the 21-35 Los Angeles Angels Thursday, May 28, in the finale of a three-game series at Comerica Park.

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch announced a change at the top of the order.

Detroit Tigers Reveal Lineup Decision For Angels Finale

For the second day in a row and only the 11th time this season, Colt Keith will bat leadoff. Rookie star Kevin McGonigle will bat second for the 20th time. A win gives the Tigers their first series victory since taking two of three from the Texas Rangers May 1-3.

Keith, 24, enters Thursday’s game hitting .296 with seven RBI and a .695 OPS. The left-handed hitting third baseman has been one of the few more or less reliable offensive pieces available to Hinch as Detroit navigates a depleted roster. Kerry Carpenter, Gleyber Torres, Javier Báez and mound ace Tarik Skubal are all currently sidelined with injuries, pushing younger options up the depth chart and into more prominent roles.

Hinch made his case for Keith at the top of the order back in March.

“I want him up to bat a lot,” Hinch said. “He controls his at-bats. He’s walking. He’s hitting the ball hard,” as quoted by Detroit Free Press reporter Jeff Seidel. The same logic applies Thursday against right-hander Grayson Rodriguez, who carries a 10.61 ERA and 2.14 WHIP into the start for Los Angeles.

Kevin McGonigle, Jack Flaherty Complete Tigers Lineup

McGonigle, the Tigers’ standout rookie shortstop, slides into the two-hole with numbers that complement Keith’s at the top of the order. The 20-year-old left-handed hitter is hitting .297 with three home runs, 21 RBI and an .832 OPS. Eight stolen bases add another dimension to what Detroit hopes becomes one of the more dangerous 1-2 punches in the AL Central over the coming years.

Hinch has consistently paired the two young lefties near the top of the lineup against right-handed starters, a matchup strategy designed to maximize on-base opportunities early in games. Both Keith and McGonigle posted some of their best numbers earlier in the season, and Hinch has returned to this configuration as the club searches for offensive consistency.

On the mound for Detroit, Jack Flaherty gets the start with a 0-6 record and 5.94 ERA. The Angels counter with Rodriguez, who is 1-1 on the season. CBS Sports listed Detroit as a -131 favorite for Thursday’s matinee, with the over/under set at 8.5 runs.

Here is the Tigers lineup for Thursday’s game:

And here is the Angels lineup, as announced by manager Kurt Suzuki:

Jack Flaherty gets the start for the Tigers. The Angels send Grayson Rodriguez to the mound. First pitch is set for 1:10 p.m. ET.