The Detroit Tigers are facing off against the San Diego Padres on Opening Day, and it's a matchup that many are looking at to see how the teams may perform this season. For the Tigers, they were able to see what Kevin McGonigle looks like, and their first impression may be all they needed to see.

McGonigle got his first MLB hit and a 2-run double in the first inning of the matchup.

McGonigle had a lot of hype coming into the season after being drafted by the Tigers in the 2023 MLB Draft, and he's now making his major league debut. It was uncertain if he would make his start on Opening Day, but it looks like McGonigle proved that he can make an impact early.

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While he was in the minors, McGonigle put up solid numbers, as he recorded a .313 batting average and .419 OBP with 233 hits, 30 home runs, 149 RBIs, and 43 stolen bases. If McGonigle can play well in the majors, Ken Rosenthal believes that the Tigers could be potential World Series contenders.

“If McGonigle is what they think he is, if Max Clark, their great outfield prospect, comes up later in the year and is also what they think he is, that is a transformative combination for them, and it might make them into a World Series contender,” Rosenthal said via Foul Territory on X, formerly Twitter.

“I don't want to put too much on these kids, but the offense has been the question for the Tigers over the last couple of years. If these two young players help that offense reach another level, then we're talking about something else with the Tigers now that they've added Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander, along with Tarik Skubal at the top of the rotation,” Rosenthal continued.