Detroit Tigers Boss Talks Disappointment Over Jackson Jobe’s Injury

The Detroit Tigers took their latest hit to their starting rotation on Wednesday, and it was a big one — and not just for this season.

Detroit leadership revealed that their prized top rookie pitcher, Jackson Jobe, would need season-ending Tommy John surgery, more than a week after he was placed on the injured list.

President of baseball operations Jeff Greenberg and manager A.J. Hinch talked about the injury for the first time after Wednesday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles. The news of Jobe’s diagnosis came after the team’s pre-game media availabilities.

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"Obviously, it's really disappointing news," Greenberg said to reporters, including those from the Detroit News. "I feel for Jackson. Everybody sees the talent. He made a really positive impression on this team in his short time here. He's going to work through this. He's a very determined individual. I have no question he's going to work through this process and be a really important contributor for this team for a very long time."

Jobe will miss the rest of the 2025 season due to the surgery. The surgery will be performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas. He is among the foremost surgeons in the procedure and is also the team surgeon for the Texas Rangers.

With a recovery time of anywhere from 12-18 months, it’s possible that Jobe won’t pitch in the Majors until 2027. It will depend on the type of Tommy John surgery. Full reconstructions tend to take more time to recover from than internal brace procedures.

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The 22-year-old right-hander, who was Detroit’s first-round pick in 2021, made his Major League debut late last season and made the Tigers’ opening-day rotation coming out of spring training.

Over 10 starts, he went 4-1 with a 4.22 ERA in 49 innings, with 39 strikeouts and 27 walks with a 1.490 WHIP.

Jobe went on the Tigers’ 15-day injured list on May 30 with a right grade one flexor strain. That led to Jobe seeing several doctors and getting several opinions before opting for the surgery.

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The Tigers still have their 1-2 punch of Tarik Skubal and Jack Flaherty, but the rest of the rotation has been in flux for more than a month.

Detroit was without another former first-round pick, Casey Mize, for about two weeks in May with an injury but he returned. The Tigers are waiting for the return of Reese Olsen, who is on the IL with right ring finger inflammation. He’s closing in on an injury rehab stint. This offseason’s other free agent signing, veteran Alex Cobb, is on an injury rehab assignment.

Along with Skubal, Flaherty and Mize, the rest of the rotation includes Keider Montero and Sawyer Gipson-Long.

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