Kansas City, Mo. — The Tigers put rookie right-hander Jackson Jobe on the 15-day injured list on Friday with a Grade 1 elbow flexor strain in his right arm.
“When he came out of his outing (Wednesday), he reported soreness,” manager AJ Hinch said before the game Friday. “We took him immediately to get tests.”
The Tigers were leaving for Kansas City on Wednesday night so Jobe was hustled to the doctors. That’s the reason he did not speak with the media following the game.
“We were leaving and in order for him to make the flight, we needed to get the evaluation quickly,” Hinch said.
That ended up being a moot point. The tests revealed the Grade 1 strain. Jobe will be shut down from throwing for a prescribed period of time to get all the inflammation out of the elbow and forearm area.
Then there will be a period of physical therapy rehab before he is cleared to start a throwing program.
“I’m not going to rush to any judgment until we see how the rest goes and the rehab goes,” Hinch said. “We will listen to the doctors and the pitching coaches on that. It’s tough to lose a guy out of the rotation.
“But there have been guys around the league who have gone through this and come back effectively.”
Seattle’s Logan Gilbert was diagnosed with the exact same injury, Grade 1 elbow flexor strain, on April 25. He just started his rehab assignment on Thursday for Triple-A Tacoma.
A two-month time frame is typical for these kinds of pitcher injuries.
“I feel for Jackson,” Hinch said. “This isn’t something we want any of your guys going through.”
Next man up
Jobe’s injury created a long-awaited call to the big leagues for right-handed reliever Dylan Smith.
He got the call on Wednesday, which just happened to be his 25th birthday.
“It was a great birthday gift,” said Smith, who will wear No. 58. “One of the best birthday gifts I’ve ever had.”
Smith, a third-round pick out of Alabama in 2021, has battled an assortment of injuries and was ultimately moved to the bullpen before this season.
The move to the pen accelerated his ascent through the system.
“I embraced the role,” said Smith, who made just two appearances in Triple-A and struck out five in 2⅓ innings. “Whatever was going to get me to the big leagues. That was my mindset. Just go out and attack guys the same as I would as a starter.”
His velocity ticked up to 98 mph in the shorter stints and he was still using an effective sweeper and splitter.
“He’s been incredible,” Hinch said. “And we got a little intro to it this spring. He came over as a backup and got into a couple of games. And we’ve known about him since he was drafted and we’ve been excited about him.
“The move to the bullpen has really solidified his aggressiveness in the zone. … The aggressiveness out of the pen has opened our eyes given how many bats he’s been missing.”
Smith said he’s expecting up to 20 friends and family members in attendance Friday night.
“I’m excited to be with an elite group like this,” Smith said. “They’ve worked so hard to get here. To be able to join a team like this is exciting and I’m ready to help.”
To make the roster work, right-hander Alex Cobb was moved to the 60-day injured list. Though, as Hinch explained, that was more of a paper transaction since Cobb began his rehab assignment with High-A West Michigan on Friday in Dayton.
What’s next?
With Smith on board, the Tigers will carry an extra reliever at least through the weekend. Tuesday night in Chicago would’ve been Jobe’s next start.
“We will see how the rotation shakes out,” Hinch said. “Jack Flaherty will start on Monday and then we will talk about Tuesday. It will create some conversation on whether it’s going to be another starter or a bullpen day.”
Right-hander Sawyer Gipson-Long, who pitched a strong 5⅓ innings for Toledo in his most resent rehab start Thursday, would be the likely call-up if the Tigers chose to go that route.
“Sawyer was great,” said Hinch of Gipson-Long, who allowed only a solo homer with five strikeouts and no walks. “I talked to him on the phone today to get his review. It’s nice to see him on the mound again. He was very aggressive and his pitches were really good.
“He’s the closest (to being big-league ready) just given where he’s at in his buildup and what he’s done to date.”
Gipson-Long, whom the Tigers acquired from the Twins for Michael Fulmer in 2022, has been out since September 2023 having undergone Tommy John surgery and left hip labral repair.
Waiver claim
Tigers president Scott Harris was at it again, plucking intriguing talent off the waiver wire.
On Friday, the Tigers claimed 6-foot-6 right-hander Ryan Cusick off waivers from the Athletics.
A first-round draft pick of the Braves in 2021, Cusick has yet to find his footing despite a four-seamer that hits 96-98 mph. Command has been a problem (5.8 per nine walk rate).
He was carrying a 6.75 ERA and 1.909 WHIP at Triple-A Las Vegas, with 13 walks in 14⅔ innings.
Intriguing though, he has been a much better pitcher against lefties (.586 OPS) than righties (1.275 OPS).
Cusick was assigned to Triple-A Toledo.
Around the horn
Center fielder Parker Meadows was scheduled to play a full nine innings at Toledo Friday night and again on Saturday. That is likely the final test before the Tigers to decide whether he can be activated in Chicago next week.
… Reliever Alex Lange (lat surgery) had his rehab work moved to Toledo. He’s not ready to start a rehab assignment but the Tigers want his bullpens supervised by Mud Hens pitching coaches Doug Bochtler and Virgil Vasquez.
… Right-hander Reese Olson (sprained ring finger) will throw a bullpen in Kansas City on Saturday. He is still not throwing his full arsenal. He is expected to be out longer than the 15-day minimum and will likely require a rehab outing or two.
chris.mccosky@detroitnews.com
@cmccosky
Tigers at Royals
▶ First pitch: 4:10 p.m. Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
▶ TV/radio: FDSN/97.1
SCOUTING REPORT
▶ LHP Tarik Skubal (5-2, 2.49), Tigers: He’s posted a 1.86 ERA with 82 strikeouts and three walks in his last nine starts. The Tigers are 8-1 in his last nine starts, and he’s 5-0. Coming off a 13-strikeout Maddux (complete game shutout in under 100 pitches), he leads baseball with a 13.14 strikeouts-walk ratio and .09 walk rate. His 92 strikeouts are the most in the American League.
▶ RHP Michael Wacha (3-4, 3.21), Royals: He’s coming off a rare two-homer outing at Minnesota, the first time this year he’s allowed multiple homers in a game. He doesn’t give up a lot of loud contact in general (34.9% hard-hit rate). He was tough on the Tigers at Comerica Park on April 20 (two runs, five strikeouts in 5⅓ innings). He still relies on his 93-mph four-seamer and cutter to set up an elite changeup (.180 opponent average) and he’ll mix in sinkers, sliders and curveballs.
