2 days ago
Tigers rookie right-hander Jackson Jobe set to undergo Tommy John surgery
Detroit Tigers rookie right-hander Jackson Jobe will undergo Tommy John surgery, the team announced Wednesday evening.
Jobe entered the season ranked as The Athletic's No. 11 overall prospect, and posted a 4.22 ERA through his first 10 starts, enduring learning lessons but also showing flashes of elite stuff.
Jobe went on the injured list after his May 28th outing with what the team called a Grade 1 flexor strain in his right arm. Jobe had pitched 4 2/3 innings against the San Francisco Giants, surrendering three runs on seven hits with four strikeouts against three walks.
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His velocity was down across the board, as he averaged 1.4 mph less than his season average on his fastball and 1.8 mph less than average on his sinker. Concern only heightened when Jobe did not talk to reporters and was not seen at all after the game.
The Tigers initial medical review alleviated concern for the worst. The Grade 1 diagnosis indicated the strain was mild, though it could still take as long as two months for Jobe to return to play.
Further medical evaluation revealed worse damage to Jobe's ulnar collateral ligament, prompting the need for surgery.
So now the Tigers are down a starter. And one of baseball's most promising young pitchers will miss the remainder of his rookie season and quite possibly most, if not all, of next year, too.
