BALTIMORE -- Jackson Jobe’s rookie season is over, and the Tigers right-hander could miss much of next year as well. The team announced that Jobe, who went on the 15-day injured list 12 days ago with a flexor strain, will undergo Tommy John surgery to reconstruct the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
The decision came after further consultation with doctors on Jobe’s elbow. He was initially diagnosed with a Grade 1 flexor strain but was sent for additional opinions given the nature of the injury.
“As is standard medical evaluation process, we sought additional evaluations,” Tigers general manager Jeff Greenberg said after Wednesday's 10-1 loss to the Orioles. “Through that evaluation process, the UCL injury was also discovered. From there, there were a series of conversations between Jackson, the doctors and the medical staff. And ultimately, surgery was determined as the path.”
The Tigers announced that Jobe will miss the remainder of the 2025 season but did not give a timetable beyond that. A typical return from Tommy John surgery can take 12-18 months, depending on the nature of the procedure.
“It's obviously really disappointing news,” Greenberg said. “I really feel for Jackson. Obviously everybody sees the talent. He made a really positive impression to this team in his short time here. He's going to work through this. He's a very determined individual. I have no question he'll work through this process and be a really important contributor for this team for a very long time.”
It’s the first major arm injury for Jobe, who missed the first half of the 2023 season with lumbar spine inflammation. The right-hander returned strong from that, starting him on a trajectory that not only earned him top prospect status, but also landed him in Detroit for his Major League debut last September.
After two relief appearances over the final week of last regular season and two more in the postseason, Jobe entered Spring Training in contention for a rotation spot. He won the role and held onto it until the injury, posting a 4-1 record with a 4.22 ERA in 10 starts. He allowed 46 hits over 49 innings along with 27 walks and 39 strikeouts.
The relatively low strikeout rate has been a point of frustration for him, but he has largely avoided the disastrous starts that so many young pitchers encounter. His only outing with more than three runs allowed was a six-run outburst over 3 2/3 innings on May 7 at Colorado, one of just two outings for him this year with multiple home runs allowed.
The first sign of potential trouble came after his outing May 23, a 3-1 loss to the Guardians. After the game, the 22-year-old hinted that he wasn’t feeling his best.
“Not the best I’ve felt physically all year, that’s for sure,” said Jobe, who chalked it up to the normal wear and tear of a long season.
Jobe allowed three runs on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings on May 28 in a no-decision against the Giants. His velocity was down across his arsenal, including an average 95.1 mph fastball that was 1.4 mph under his season average, and a 93.4 mph sinker that was 1.8 mph below his season rate. His velocity dropped as his outing moved along, particularly on his final two fastballs.
“When he came out of his outing, he reported that he had a little bit of soreness,” manager A.J. Hinch said at the time. “We took him immediately to get evaluated.”
The initial hope following the flexor strain diagnosis was that Jobe could return sometime after the All-Star break, a typical timetable for such an injury. Now, they’ll have to navigate a long-term absence while Jobe deals with surgery and a long rehab. It’s a procedure his fellow Tigers starters know well; Sawyer Gipson-Long had it last year, Casey Mize in 2022 and Tarik Skubal while in college in 2017.
“Hate it for him, obviously, having gone through it,” Mize said. “It’s a long process, but it’s one I know he’ll attack. I hate it for our team as well. Jackson’s a special talent. It’s a long road, but I know he’s going to work really hard and come out of it better and be able to help us when he gets back. Feeling for him, but I know in the end, everything’s going to be all right for him.”
With Jobe out long term, filling his rotation spot takes on a bigger focus. Gipson-Long tossed 4 2/3 innings of one-run ball Tuesday in his second outing back. Reese Olson threw a bullpen session Wednesday in his rehab from right ring finger inflammation, but he’s likely still at least a couple weeks away. Alex Cobb pitched Wednesday night for Triple-A Toledo in his third rehab start as he tries to come back from right hip inflammation. Cobb will likely use the full 30 days on his rehab, which would take him until the final days of June.
The Tigers have another potential option later this season with veteran José Urquidy, who signed a one-year deal plus a club option for 2026 with the team in Spring Training as he entered the final stages of rehab from his Tommy John surgery a year ago. He has been throwing bullpen sessions and could begin a Minor League rehab assignment later this summer. President of baseball operations Scott Harris mentioned Urquidy as a potential late-season addition in an interview with 97.1 The Ticket on Wednesday morning.