The Detroit Tigers remain the surprise MLB team of 2025 as the season fast approaches its halfway point, with a best-in-baseball 44-25 record. But their attempt to become the first team to reach 45 wins hit a Baltimore-sized roadblock when the Orioles handed them their most lopsided loss of the year in a game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Wednesday.
But the lackluster defeat was not even the worst news of the day for Detroit. After the game they made a devastating announcement about the rookie pitcher who was the Bengals’ top mound prospect before becoming a full-fledged big leaguer this season.
The Tigers have endured a pair of seven-run losses this season, falling 10-3 to the Texas Rangers on May 10, and then 11-4 to the St. Louis Cardinals on May 19. But June 11 goes down as the Tigers’ new low in a season with very few lows, getting beaten by Baltimore â the last-place team in the American League East at 27-39 â by nine, 10-1.
Tough News For Tigers’ Top Young Pitcher
After the game, however, the Tigers announced that 22-year-old righty Jackson Jobe, Detroit’s first-round draft pick in 2021, third overall out of Heritage Hall High School in Oklahoma City, will miss the remainder of the 2025 season due to Tommy John surgery.
Jobe was sent to the 15-day injured list 12 days ago with a Grade One flexor strain in his right elbow.
Presumably the team, and Jobe, held out hope that the injury that forced him out of a May 28 game against the San Francisco Giants after just 4 2/3 innings would be treatable with rest and rehabilitation. But almost two weeks later, it apparently became clear that Jobe had no such luck.
“The Tigers announced that Jobe will miss the remainder of the 2025 season but did not give a timetable beyond that,” according to MLB.com Tigers correspondent Jason Beck. “A typical return from Tommy John surgery can take 12-18 months, depending on the nature of the procedure.”
First Arm Injury For 22-Year-Old Righty
If that assessment is accurate, not only will Jobe be shelved for the remainder of 2025 â potentially the Tigers’ best season since their run to the AL Championship Series in 2013 â but he could miss all of 2026 as well.
An 18-month recovery period would keep Jobe out into November, 2026, beyond the end of the MLB season.
Jobe has not previously suffered an arm injury, Beck reported. The highly-ranked prospect missed part of 2023 with lumbar spine inflammation, but he bounced back better than ever, vaulting to No. 2 spot among all right-handed pitching prospects before the 2024 season, behind only top-ranked Paul Skenes.
Coming into this season, Jobe was the Tigers No. 3 prospect overall, and their highest-ranked pitching prospect.
Jobe started 10 games for Detroit this season with a 4-1 record and 4.22 ERA in 49 innings. He struck out 39, but walked a rather excessive 27 in that span.
“It’s obviously really disappointing news,” said Tigers general manager Jeff Greenberg, speaking to ESPN.com. “Really feel for Jackson. Obviously everybody sees the talent, and he made a really positive impression to this team in his short time here. He’s going to work through this. He’s a very determined individual.”
Jobe debuted in 2024 as the Tigers were making their Cinderella run to the postseason. He threw four innings over two games out of the bullpen, allowing no runs and one hit, with two strikeouts and a walk.
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