McGonigle heads to Philadelphia as Detroit's lone All-Star representative

Kevin McGonigle, 21, will play in the All-Star Game in Philadelphia — a homecoming, per the reporting on his selection. The shortstop is hitting .275/.389/.418 with 6 home runs and 29 RBIs across 73 games, which is a reasonable case for a rookie on a 45-52 club to earn the nod.

He's the only Tiger making the trip. Dillon Dingler had All-Star credentials — 14 home runs, 41 RBIs, and the team's best total-bases efficiency — but he's been day-to-day since exiting July 9 with a hand injury. That took him out of the conversation. Justin Verlander, who announced his retirement last week, is on the 60-day IL. The roster has been too battered to put multiple names forward.

So McGonigle goes alone, which is a fine story on its own. A 21-year-old rookie, a team in transition, a game in his home city. Detroit gets one representative in the Midsummer Classic, and it happens to be the youngest notable piece of whatever they're building.