The Detroit Tigers are in a pretty good spot with the 2025 MLB season coming down the homestretch. They are firmly in control of the American League Central, and they are keeping the Toronto Blue Jays at arm’s length when it comes to the battle for the No. 1 seed in the American League.
Even the best teams in the league could use reinforcements at this time of the season, and the Tigers are no different. One guy who could make a return in the near future is veteran pitcher Alex Cobb, but if he does end up taking the mound again this year, manager A.J. Hinch revealed that it will be in a role he’s not accustomed to.
Alex Cobb to Be Used as a Relief Pitcher for the Tigers
Cobb broke into the majors back in 2011 with the Tampa Bay Rays, eventually becoming a key piece of their starting rotation. After spending six seasons with them, he would go on to spend time with the Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Angels, San Francisco Giants, and Cleveland Guardians before signing with Detroit in free agency last offseason.
During his career, Cobb has missed time on several occasions with serious injury. In 2015, he missed the entire season with the Rays after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and in 2019, he took the mound for just three starts with the Orioles before he underwent a season-ending hip surgery. After pitching in just three games for the Guardians last year due to a shoulder injury, a hip injury has prevented Cobb from making his debut with the Tigers in 2025.
To this point, Cobb’s absence hasn’t hurt Detroit too much, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to get him back on the mound at some point this season. While Cobb’s return date is still up in the air, if he does end up suiting up for the Tigers this year, Hinch revealed that he will be doing so as a relief pitcher rather than a starter.
“We shrunk down the expectations internally on how long he can go in a game,” Hinch told Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. “We’re trying to see how the two- and three-inning stints go and how he bounces back from that.”
Tigers Hoping to Get Alex Cobb on the Mound Sooner Rather Than Later
GettyIf Alex Cobb manages to return from injury for the Tigers this season, he’s going to be used as a relief pitcher
Cobb is in the middle of a rehab assignment at Triple-A Toledo, but he still has some ground to cover before he gets himself back to the majors. When he does, though, he could be an immediate contributor for Detroit. After all, he was an All-Star in his last full season with the Giants in 2023, as he posted a 7-7 record with a 3.87 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 151.1 innings of work.
Things are going to be different for Cobb this time around, though, as he will be used exclusively out of the bullpen for the first time in his career. It’s going to be a bit of a change for the 37-year-old veteran, but if he can hit the ground running, he could end up playing a major role in the Tigers’ quest to go on a deep playoff run this season.
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