​More starting pitching reinforcements are on the way for the Detroit Tigers. Right-hander Jackson Jobe is set to begin a rehabilitation assignment with Single-A Lakeland on Tuesday, July 7, according to Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, who spoke ahead of the series opener against the Athletics. Jobe has been sidelined since June 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow. Hinch cautioned that they will need to manage his workload carefully, hoping to limit him to a couple of innings initially.
Jobe has been progressing through his recovery, having thrown several live bullpen sessions in recent weeks. Hinch has noted that the 23-year-old and the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 MLB draft has touched 100 mph with his four-seam fastball during those sessions. “He’s ready to go and, obviously, he’s been throwing the ball well,” Hinch said. In his injury-shortened rookie season of 2025, Jobe logged 49 innings over 10 starts with a 4.22 ERA. He remains on a recovery timeline that extends beyond a year, with Hinch indicating in late June that a lengthy rehab period still lay ahead to help him regain his footing on the mound. “He’s got a long road ahead still, but the plan all along and timeline all along was for him to be able to accomplish a lot this year,” Hinch said on June 26.
Hinch also explained that right-handed reliever Will Vest did not travel back to Detroit with the team after the series win over the Rangers. Vest instead remained in Dallas for extended evaluations with Dr. Keith Meister, the Rangers’ team physician and a veteran doctor who specializes in baseball-related injuries. The Tigers placed Vest on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation on July 1 and recalled Beau Brieske to take his bullpen role.
“We happened to leave him in Dallas because we were just there and that’s where he lives, so it’s convenient for him,” Hinch said. “Again, it is not Tommy John-related or ligament-related. But it is a doctor we trust.”
In other injury news, reliever Brant Hurter pitched a bullpen session, reliever Burch Smith threw off the mound, and both shortstop Javier Baez and second baseman Gleyber Torres are ramping up activity. Baez is increasing his baseball work, while Torres, who is sidelined with an oblique injury, has shown “great” progress. Perez, who is on the 60-day injured list after fracturing his orbital bone, is in the early stages of his recovery.
As for the broader plan, Hinch reiterated that the organization remains patient with its return-to-play timelines and emphasized that Jobe’s rehab is a key part of stabilizing Detroit’s rotation depth for the stretch run and beyond.