Tigers call up prospect Hao-Yu Lee for MLB debut, place Zach McKinstry on IL

DETROIT — Infielder Hao-Yu Lee will soon make his major-league debut for the Detroit Tigers. He was called up Friday in place of an injured Zach McKinstry.

The Tigers placed McKinstry on the 10-day disabled list with left hip/abdominal inflammation before Friday night’s game against the Boston Red Sox. McKinstry struggled to move around the next morning following an infield collision with the Kansas City Royals’ Jac Caglianone on Wednesday.

The Tigers replace the left-handed-hitting McKinstry with a right-handed bat in Lee ahead of a series where they will face left-handed starters Ranger Suárez and Garrett Crochet.

Lee, ranked as the Tigers’ No. 6 prospect, was hitting .154 with one home run, one walk and seven strikeouts for Triple-A Toledo. He started his season on a rehab assignment with Low-A Lakeland after suffering an oblique strain during spring training that caused him to be removed from the roster of Chinese Taipei ahead of the World Baseball Classic. Lee hit .243 with 13 home runs in Triple A last season.

McKinstry, best known for his do-it-all versatility, was an All-Star and winner of the Silver Slugger Award for utility players in 2025. Lee is capable of playing solid defense at both second and third base.

Lee was acquired from the Phillies in exchange for pitcher Michael Lorenzen at the 2023 trade deadline. He posted a .919 OPS against lefties in the minors last season, something that could prove useful as soon as this weekend.