Detroit Tigers Might Have Found Another Gem in Newest Young Bullpen Arm

The Detroit Tigers continue to get tremendous production from their stable of young relievers.

Apr 22, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Chase Lee (53) in the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Comerica Park. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers are off to a tremendous start this season and are among the best teams in the American League.

Understandably, the starting rotation has received a ton of the credit. With multiple stars along with a major reclamation project in Casey Mize as well a future superstar in tantalizing young rookie Jackson Jobe, the rotation has a ton of juice and is a fun talking point.

Though the starters have lived up to the billing in terms of what they were seen to potentially be headed into the season, it has been the bullpen which perhaps has not received enough credit.

As a unit, the bullpen boasts a 2.76 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP, all while allowing a total of just 25 earned runs, all figures which place Detroit within the top-five across all of baseball.

Guys like Tyler Holton, Will Vest and Brenan Hanifee are all examples of players who may not be household names across the sport just yet but have been phenomenal along with others in relief of the rotation.

On Tuesday night however, the Tigers proved they might just have another young and talented arm who could be on the cusp of breaking his way into playing a major role.

In returning Keider Montero to Triple-A, Detroit decided to call up 26-year-old right-hander Chase Lee to make his big league debut after he had a huge spring and nearly made the big league roster out of camp.

Lee entered the game in a very high leverage eighth inning with things still in reach trailing the San Diego Padres 2-0.

After a tremendous defensive play resulted in a double play in the eight, Lee was a bit shaky in the ninth with two walks.

However with two outs and the bases loaded, Lee kept his ERA clean with the first strikeout of his career in what was a clutch and gutsy moment:

Double play for your first Major League outs?

Welcome to the bigs, Chase Lee 🔥 pic.twitter.com/6tTebVzldI

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 23, 2025

First @MLB strikeout for Chase Lee 👏 pic.twitter.com/L5sBaMmyJA

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 23, 2025

Lee has a sidewinding delivery which adds an interesting wrinkle to the bullpen and gives the team an option outside of the regular faces in the unit.

A tested player who had to earn a scholarship in college after walking on and playing club ball, Lee has worked his way through the minor leagues with sheer will and desire to get better.

He's exactly the type of guy which can even further elevate the bullpen if there continues to be room for him during the season.

Whether or not he sticks around moving forward this season remains to be seen, but the Tigers clearly have an embarrassment of riches and no shortage of high-upside young arms to come in and shut games down.