With Riley Greene and Max Clark in place, two-thirds of the Motown outfield is already set for 2027; however, who will the Detroit Tigers' right fielder be next season? The team has a few internal options to cover the position, and a few intriguing free agents are available on the open market.
Kerry Carpenter has been the Detroit Tigers right fielder for most of the last four seasons , but he has struggled with injuries and left-handed pitching. He experienced one of his worst injuries as a Tiger in 2026 when he went down for the season in July with plantar fasciitis in his left foot, limiting Carpenter to just 41 starts in right. When he did play, Carpenter was largely ineffective against southpaws, collecting just three hits in 23 at-bats for a miserable .130 batting average. Although he hits well against right-handed pitching, Carpenter hasn't been able to establish himself as a true everyday player to this point in his Major League Baseball career.
Zach McKinstry picked up the slack from Carpenter in 2026 and led Detroit in RF starts with 49. He also recorded nine outfield assists from the position, the joint third-most in MLB, so he has to be considered for the job of right fielder at least for his defensive prowess. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to replicate his success at the plate from 2025, when he put up a career-high .438 slugging percentage. McKinstry finished 2026 hitting just under the Mendoza line and slugging a paltry .294.
Sep 4, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Detroit Tigers right fielder Zach McKinstry (39) makes a running catch in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Each of Matt Vierling and Wenceel Perez has also served as Detroit's right fielder at times in recent seasons. However, much like both Carpenter and McKinstry, each also has their pitfalls. Vierling has a strong arm and decent speed, but at times misreads fly balls; he has also struggled at times at the plate over the last two seasons, knocking in just 42 runs in 123 games in that span. Switch-hitting Perez grades out as a solid defender in right, posting a .983 fielding percentage in 209 career games there. Perez hit seven home runs in just 53 games, but that power was belied by a lowly .180 batting average.
While Zyhir Hope is getting praise for his breakout 2026 season in the minor leagues, he isn't projected to be ready for the opening day roster. Tiger fans may see him in 2027, but it likely won't be from the start. Instead, Parker Meadows is the last realistic internal option for the Tigers' right fielder next season.
Meadows has a very high ceiling on defense with elite speed and fantastic range; in fact, he put up +11 outs above average between 2024 and 25, making him the best defensive option right now. Offensively, Meadows has a very long swing that makes consistent contact difficult, although he has shown some progress during his MLB tenure. Although the team has many players to fill the position, none seem like perfect fits to be the right fielder in 2027.
Although the current free agent class is considered weak, there are some good players out there who could become the Tigers' right fielder for next season. Seiya Suzuki , Randy Arozarena , and Ian Happ are all entering free agency, although each is 32 years old and will be looking for multi-year deals, which may put off the Tigers. Teruaki Sato will be posted by NPB's Hanshin Tigers and will be negotiating as a 27-year-old, although any player coming to MLB will be viewed with a degree of caution as an unknown quantity at the game's highest level.
Mar 16, 2025; Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan; Hanshin Tigers third baseman Teruaki Sato (8) hits a home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fourth inning at Tokyo Dome. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Due to the relative paucity of talent in free agency, all four will likely be hotly pursued by teams like the New York Mets, Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves, and Los Angeles Angels. The Tigers will likely want to stay away from any bidding wars, as has been the case since Scott Harris joined the front office. They could take a wait-and-see approach to the hitter's market like they did a year ago with the pitching market , and ended up signing Framber Valdez late in free agency .
Another possibility would be a trade. Since there are so many internal options for the Tigers' right fielder for next season, the team could try to package a couple of them together in the hope of finding a trading partner. The Boston Red Sox are experiencing a logjam in the outfield with Jarren Duran the likeliest player to be traded away; he won't hit free agency until 2029 and has twice hit 20+ home runs, although he is coming off of a down year.
The Athletics, similarly, also have a crowded outfield, although it's a bit more difficult to judge who may be traded from their group. Henry Bolte had a breakout rookie campaign, putting up 110 OPS+, and Lawrence Butler has shown good power plus defense in right. The worry with one of these options is that the team is known to want pitching, something the Tigers may not want to give up . A dark horse candidate would be Steven Kwan of the division rival Cleveland Guardians. His name has been floated as a trade candidate for a few years, and as he edges towards free agency, the likelihood of the team listening to offers is only increasing.
There are a plethora of options for the Tigers' right fielder for 2027. The team could source an option internally until they feel that Hope is ready for MLB action . Then again, a free agent signing or even a trade could be a tempting possibility for the team.
Main Photo Credit: Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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