Detroit Tigers rookie second baseman Colt Keith is out of the starting lineup on Saturday against the hosting Toronto Blue Jays with left-hander Yusei Kikuchi on the bump. With Keith riding pine to start the game, Andy Ibanez will start at the keystone and will bat leadoff for the Tigers against Kikuchi. The 22-year-old left-handed hitting Keith has been serviceable in deeper leagues in his rookie year in 2024 by hitting nine home runs, driving in 37 and stealing five bags in 87 games, but he has only two doubles, no home runs and two RBI in 42 plate appearances against left-handers this year. Ibanez is a low-upside DFS sleeper on Saturday in the leadoff spot. The Cuban infielder is hitting a nice .288 (38-for-132) but has very little power or speed.
Colt Keith Has Monstrous Day At Plate, Hits Game Tying Homer On Saturday
Detroit Tigers second baseman Colt Keith had a huge day at the plate on Saturday, going three-for-four with four RBI while also hitting a game tying HR in the bottom of the ninth inning in the Tigers 11-9 extra innings win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Keith's two-run shot off Evan Phillips was his ninth of the season. He also added on a two-run double to tally four RBI. Keith's OPS is now up to .706 on the season thanks to a monstrous tear in July where he has a 1.337 OPS in 42 AB. The rookie is continuing to impress and is set for a big second half. Fantasy managers that happen to find Keith on their waiver wire need to snag him up immediately. He'll look to continue his hot July against the Dodgers on Sunday, who have yet to name a scheduled starter.
Detroit Tigers infielders Colt Keith and Wenceel Perez are not in the team's starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers. Andy Ibanez is starting at second base and will bat leadoff for Detroit, with Ryan Vilade playing right field and batting ninth against Dodgers left-hander James Paxton. Vilade was recalled from Triple-A Toledo on Friday. Both Keith and Perez have been swinging hot bats for the Tigers, but they'll take the day off to kick off the weekend. Keith, a 22-year-old rookie, has been especially productive so far in July, going 13-for-37 (.351) with four home runs, two triples, nine RBI, a stolen base and 12 runs scored in 10 games. Ibanez, 31, has hit an impressive .288 (36-for-125) this year in limited playing time, but his DFS upside as a sleeper is limited because of his lack of power and speed.
Detroit Tigers second baseman Colt Keith had the first two-homer game of his career in Friday's narrow win over the hosting Cincinnati Reds. After launching a towering homer off Reds right-hander Carson Spiers to right-center field, extending the Tigers' lead to 2-0 in the third inning, Keith left the yard again in the fifth frame to give Detroit a 4-0 lead. It still hasn't been a great rookie season overall from the 22-year-old lefty-hitting infielder, who's slashing .240/.285/.361 with seven big flies, nine doubles, 28 RBI, and four stolen bases across 281 plate appearances in 2024. With that said, Keith is picking up some steam with three consecutive multi-hit efforts.
Detroit Tigers rookie second baseman Colt Keith and infielder Zach McKinstry are both getting the day off on Tuesday versus the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. Keith will take a seat after starting each of the team's last 10 games. Andy Ibanez is filling in at the keystone and is hitting second, while Ryan Kreidler will play shortstop and bat ninth for the Tigers against Phillies left-hander Ranger Suarez. Neither Ibanez nor Kreidler have ever faced Suarez in their careers. Keith hasn't really stood out offensively this year, batting .239 (55-for-230) with only four home runs, 23 RBI and four stolen bases, but he's turned things on of late. The 22-year-old former fifth-round selection in 2020 has gone 15-for-43 (.349) with two homers, three doubles, four RBI and a stolen base in his last 11 games played. Ibanez is in a nice lineup spot and has hit .276 this year, but it's a very tough matchup.
Colt Keith Finishes Triple Short Of Cycle On Sunday
Detroit Tigers second baseman Colt Keith had a big game on Sunday, going 4-for-5 with a homer, a double, three runs scored, and three RBI in an 11-2 thumping of the Chicago White Sox. Keith, like the rest of the Tigers lineup, feasted on White Sox starter Jonathan Cannon, homering off him in the first before hitting an RBI double in the second. Although it was a nice game for the youngster, he still has a long way to go before he can be considered in any redraft fantasy format. He does have two four-hit games in the past eight days, so he should be placed on watch lists in deeper formats for now.
Detroit Tigers infielder Colt Keith went 4-for-6 with a solo home run and a double in Saturday's 13-5 win over the Houston Astros. Keith blasted a solo shot off Astros reliever Tayler Scott in the ninth inning for his third home run of the season. The 22-year-old is starting to heat up at the plate and is on a three-game hitting streak while recording back-to-back multi-hit efforts. Keith is slashing .235/.284/.315 with three home runs, 20 RBI, 18 runs, and three stolen bases over 61 games in 2024. Fantasy managers searching for a streamer can use Keith while he is swinging a hot bat.
Colt Keith Removed Early With Left Knee Discomfort
Detroit Tigers second baseman Colt Keith was removed during the top of the third inning in Saturday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers with left knee discomfort. He was replaced by Andy Ibanez. Keith collided with outfielder Akil Baddoo on a pop up in the outfield and was removed after the play. Baddoo was able to remain in the game before getting pinch-hit for in the fifth. The team has not put out any other information in terms of Keith's injury and should be considered day-to-day until more information is released. Keith had been having a subpar rookie season, hitting for just a .549 OPS on the season. Should he miss any time, fantasy managers should aim to replace him with Ibanez, who's hitting for a somewhat more productive .687 OPS.
Detroit Tigers second/third baseman Colt Keith has put forth a .250 batting average with no home runs, five RBI, and no stolen bases in 24 Grapefruit League at-bats this spring. While it is unclear if the 22-year-old will start the season with the Tigers, he signed a six-year, $28.64 million contract extension this off-season. Keith had an excellent 2023 season between Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo, hitting a combined 27 HR with 101 RBI. He is a name to know in dynasty leagues, but Keith will likely play a fantasy role in re-draft leagues as well, perhaps as early as Opening Day.
Detroit Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said the team won't shut the door on prospect Colt Keith playing third base in the future, but he will play second base in 2024. "We think Colt can play second and third. We think he has the chance to be an average or better second baseman. We also think it's going to save a little bit of the load on his arm and allow him to play the position really well," Harris said. Detroit signed Keith to a six-year contract extension just last weekend, and he'll be a candidate to make the Opening Day roster out of spring training. The 22-year-old is a bat-first infielder and has established himself as one of the better hitting prospects in the game. He hit .306/.380/.552 with 27 home runs in two minor-league stops in 2023 and will be appealing for his power in fantasy leagues, especially at the second base position.
