Jackson Jobe’s Latest Tigers Injury Rehab Start Reflects Right Kind of Progress
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The Detroit Tigers have plenty invested in Jackson Jobe. That’s why they’re willing to take their time with his injury rehab.
The former first-round pick, who had Tommy John surgery last June, made his third injury rehab assignment on Sunday. This time, he was out of the comforts of Florida and pitching for Double-A Erie. That reflects a level of confidence in his progression, as his first two starts were in Class-A and in the Florida Complex League.
Sunday’s game was against Richmond, the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, where a significant concentration of the organization’s Top 30 prospects are playing. It would be Jobe’s sternest test yet.
He finished after three innings. He gave up three hits, one unearned run and struck out three against no walks.
Assessing Jackson Jobe’s Latest Rehab Start
Sunday was Jobe’s third rehab start. On July 7 he gave up two hits and one earned run in 1.1 innings as he struck out one and walked none with the Class-A Lakeland Flying Tigers. Detroit then shifted his rehab to their Florida Complex League team on July 13 as he went three innings, giving up two hits and no walks against four strikeouts.
In his situation, the build-up matters more than the performance for now. In his first start he threw 32 pitches, an unusual amount for a pitcher coming off Tommy John surgery. In his second start he threw 38 pitches. The pitch counts are likely reflective of the build-up Jobe did before he went to an affiliate.
On Sunday he threw 44 pitches, 28 of which were strikes. That’s a progression reflective of a third start after his surgery. But it’s not close to where he needs to be to re-join the Tigers’ rotation. But it’s good progress.
Jobe was part of Detroit’s rotation to start last season after he was called up at the end of the 2024 season to be part of the Tigers’ playoff push. He won a rotation spot in spring training and was 4-1 with a 4.22 ERA in 10 starts before he suffered a right elbow injury that led to what the Tigers called a Grade 1 right flexor strain.
Without him, the Tigers spent on Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander in free agency. Valdez has been inconsistent and Verlander has been barely healthy. The Tigers legend will retire at the end of this season. Theoretically, Jobe would land in his rotation spot. But he must get built up first.
Detroit won’t rush him. But a return sometime in August is possible. Whether the Tigers will be in the playoff race is another matter.
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Matthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist who covers Major League Baseball for OnSI. He also covers the Big 12 Conference for Heartland College Sports.
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