Internal and External Options for Replacing Jackson Jobe
The upside of the Detroit Tigers' rotation has taken a hit, with Jackson Jobe now lost for the season. How can they overcome his absence?
For the most part, everything has gone the Tigers’ way this season. Role players have stepped in, Spencer Torkelson has found his footing, and Detroit’s success has once again given life to a Comerica crowd that has been begging for good baseball.
However, the Tigers did receive significant injury news on Wednesday when the club announced that rookie and top prospect Jackson Jobe would require Tommy John surgery not only ending his 2025 campaign but the majority of 2026.
Losing Jobe is a gut punch, but replacing his production (4.22 ERA, 5.12 FIP) is very possible. The bigger problem is Jobe losing development time especially after injury cut short his innings in the minors.
Detroit has a number of internal options they could turn to, but acquiring another starter suddenly moves from priority number three or four to higher on the list. The Tigers now have roughly a month and a half for “auditions” before the deadline forces their decision to add to the rotation or not.
Internal Options
Step one, figure out if what you already have can work. When I say work, I do not mean simply replacing Jobe with another player and calling it a day.
The domino effect means everyone is bumped up on the depth chart, and one more injury could mean trouble. Detroit needs to ensure they have enough arms they trust not only for a rotation spot but for depth going forward.
Keider Montero – MLB
2025 Stats: 46 IP, 4.30 ERA, 5.27 FIP, 5.87 K/9, 3.33 BB/9
Montero has served as the sixth starter all season, whether it be a double header, Mize’s injury, or now Olson’s injury replacement. With Olson returning, Montero could stick in the rotation or be used in some variation of bullpen game/bulk inning reliever.
Montero has been mostly fine in this role, but does leave me with plenty of concerns. Despite his higher whiff rates on his secondaries, he’s not striking many out and often relying on soft contact in play. Combine that with a fastball that needs to work and often ends up over the plate, then in the seats, and outings tend to get away from him.
I like the idea of Montero being the depth, and not the answer, to replacing Jobe’s spot.
Sawyer Gipson-Long – MLB
2025 Stats: 8.1 IP, 4.32 ERA, 1.88 FIP, 8.64 K/9, 1.08 BB/9
After missing over a year with his own injury, Gipson-Long returned to the Tigers just in time to help alleviate this pain. Personally, I think Gipson-Long has the best stuff of the internal options with a plus change-up and a five-pitch mix that all are good enough to play.
However, coming off injury, I am not sure how many innings he will be limited to or if any other restrictions are in place. Detroit piggybacking him with Brant Hurter is an intriguing option and could be successful, but Hinch himself has said the “pitching chaos” approach is not sustainable long term.
Ideally, Gipson-Long has no issues or setbacks and can give this rotation innings but the concern of relying on a pitcher who’s just coming back from over 600 days missed is too risky.
Brant Hurter – MLB
2025 Stats: 36 IP, 1.75 ERA, 3.36 FIP, 8.50 K/9, 2.25 BB/9
Hurter, a starter in the minors, excelled out of the bullpen in the second half for the Tigers last season. He has served the same role this year, coming in for multiple innings and once again has been excellent.
Hurter is very much a sinker/sweeper pitcher who also goes to the change-up against righties and occasionally mixes in a four-seamer. This profile has made him a great groundball pitcher, but I worry about him getting exposed in a larger role where he’s facing batters multiple times.
The four-seamer is not good enough and although two/three-pitch pitchers can survive in a rotation, I think Hurter is better served staying in the role he’s excelled at. I’m not looking to create another, or different, need.
Troy Melton – AAA
2025 Stats (AA & AAA): 48 IP, 3.94 ERA, 2.82 FIP, 11.06 K/9, 2.44 BB/9
I’ve been high on Melton for some time now and think he instantly becomes a name to watch. Last season’s numbers look inflated (5.10 ERA) mostly due to a home run problem that he has seemed to correct. He’s a starter without a deep repertoire, which is contrary to what I said with Hurter, but I like Melton’s pure stuff more. Plus stuff, good command, and can get a strikeout when you need it.
An important wrinkle is that Melton is Rule 5 eligible this winter. He will need to be added, and will be, before the December deadline so doing so now makes even more sense.
Alex Cobb/Jose Urquidy – Injured
Both veterans have not pitched this season due to injury. Cobb’s hip injury has bothered him to the extent of his pain being visible from watching the game. He’s continuing with his rehab assignment but I am very skeptical of him pitching or providing much if he does. Urquidy is tracking towards a late season return.
Others: Wilkel Hernandez (AAA), Dietrich Enns (AAA), Joseph Montalvo (AA), Jaden Hamm (AA)
Enns is a 34-year-old veteran with a 2.70 ERA and 2.86 FIP in Triple-A. Not only does he have good numbers, but if the Tigers needed to DFA him in the future to add at the deadline, I doubt that potentially losing a 34-year-old career minor league guy would hurt. Hamm is a bigger name prospect who’s going to need more time.
External Options
Everyone loves trade discussions and I’m no different. We still have to learn more about who is or isn’t a seller, but we’ll play the game. Considering Jobe will miss part of next season and Flaherty too could be gone adding players with control becomes a more intriguing possibility.
Rentals
Jose Quintana (MIL), Nick Martinez (CIN), Merrill Kelly (ARZ), Chris Bassitt (TOR), Erick Feddee (STL)
I decided to group these names together because they are all on teams who are not yet sellers, but that could change in the next month. Veterans who would be rentals, add some experience, and are all pitching well. Martinez and Bassitt are making about $20 million each with the others coming at a cheaper price. I’ll spend more time on these names once they become sellers.
Tyler Anderson (LAA), Andrew Heaney (PIT)
Two more veteran lefties on expiring deals but on teams who will be sellers. Heaney was a guy I thought the Tigers would sign before they sided with Cobb. A perfectly fine back-end option who has turned himself into more of a junkballer than strikeout pitcher over the past few seasons. Heaney has a 3.24 ERA and 4.38 FIP, and a sinker I think the Tigers would like to utilize.
Anderson, 35, is a veteran lefty who is effective enough to be more of an innings eater. He had a great change-up, which the Tigers tend to like, but it has taken a step back this season. Age? Or, can the Tigers unlock something and squeeze out whatever is left?
Pitchers with Control
This list could be much, much longer but four names come to mind. I’ve tried to keep this very realistic but I made sure to throw in one who’s more exciting than the rest. Each player is on an obvious seller and could make sense to move on from.
JP Sears – Athletics – FA ’29, Bailey Falter – PIT – FA ’29, Jake Irvin – WSH – FA ’30, Mitch Keller – PIT – FA ’29
Sears and Falter are similar to me, but I do prefer Sears. Both are back-end options, lefties, and not exactly exciting. The internal options might have higher ceilings, but the Tigers need someone with a pretty predictable floor. Irvin has a lot of control and might not be available, but I think the Tigers could unlock something with his sinker/change-up and be a useful pitcher.
Keller is the biggest name of the four. His yearly offseason videos of throwing 100 mph have never translated to high end strikeout numbers, yet alone a fastball over 96 mph, but he does have a very solid track record (low 4’s ERA, high 3’s FIP). Keller is a groundball pitcher, which we know Detroit values, and has a sweeper and slider that are very good pitches.
He has three years left at around $17 million, which is very appropriate, if not good, value. The Pirates have a number of young arms and a top prospect in Bubba Chandler ready to debut. Shedding money is their favorite past time and Keller could be a good insurance policy to potentially losing Flaherty and Skubal in the next few seasons.
Final Thoughts
Detroit has found itself in unfamiliar territory. More than 20 games above .500 and a legit World Series contender. While they have earned these distinctions they need to continue to improve in order to keep them. It’s not time to celebrate but instead accelerate.
A season like this does not come around often. Would I love to see a huge trade for a big name? Of course. But until I see this front office do just that I’ll continue to expect moves on the fringes. That’s not a knock, Scott Harris has earned the benefit of the doubt and has proved he can find talent.
How the Tigers address the deadline will tell us a lot about their aggressiveness going forward. This particular injury is the first to truly force their hand. Third base is a need but the current options are playing well. Righty bat? Perez is hitting and Vierling is coming back. The rotation’s answer is Keider Montero and an eight-inning sample of Gipson-Long.
Lots to chew on and a big month ahead.
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