The Detroit Tigers have acquired infielder Zack Short from the Washington Nationals on Friday. The Nationals will receive cash consideration or a player to be named at a later date as part of the trade.
While Short does make his way over to Detroit, he has not been added to the 40-man roster just yet. Short will be assigned to Triple-A Toledo in the meantime.
Tigers fans will be quite familiar with Short as he would make his MLB debut with Detroit back in 2021 after being traded from the Chicago Cubs. In that season, Short would play 61 games and connect with six home runs.
The Tigers have acquired old friend/infielder Zack Short from the Washington Nationals for cash considerations. Short has been assigned to Triple-A Toledo.
Short is not on the 40-man roster.— Evan Woodbery (@evanwoodbery) May 1, 2026
Short would spend the majority of the 2022 season with Triple-A Toledo, where he would hit 11 home runs and 60 RBIs in 128 games played. He would return to Triple-A Toledo for the 2023 season before leaving the team at the end of the season.
Throughout the next two years, Short would play for multiple teams, including the New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros. Short would then sign with the Nationals in December 2025, but only made 21 appearances with Triple-A Rochester Red Wings before finding his way back to Detroit.
In the 241 MLB games that Short has played in his career, the majority have been played as a shortstop. The decision to bring back Short will provide a much-needed shortstop depth for the Tigers.
© Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Apart from playing at shortstop, Short has also played at second and third base, as well as right field, left field and center field. Whether the Tigers decide to take advantage of his flexibility and position him in different areas of the field is up the team, but with the experience by his side, Short is surely capable of providing the help the Tigers need wherever he is placed.
The Tigers currently have a record of 16-16 and sit in second place in the AL Central, tied in record with the division-leading Cleveland Guardians. The team comes into Friday just recently losing the series to the Braves.
The Tigers are preparing for a three-game home stretch against another AL team, the Texas Rangers. The team will look to break the tie and continue on the road to a winning record.
The Tigers are looking to make another playoff push after their 2025 MLB season came to an end at the hands of the Seattle Mariners in the ALDS. Short might not be on the 40-man roster just yet, but expect the team to move him up and use him in the near future.
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