Tigers' Jackson Jobe: Makes case for playoff roster
Rotowire
Jobe walked one and struck out two in three scoreless innings of relief during Saturday's 4-0 loss to the White Sox.
After clinching a wild-card spot Friday and then sitting through a 140-minute rain delay before Saturday's first pitch, the Tigers were fairly listless in this one, but Jobe gave them some life with an impressive long-relief effort that saw him fire 24 of 39 pitches for strikes. The fact that the organization's top pitching prospect was deployed Saturday rather than held back for the regular-season finale Sunday could be a sign Detroit plans on including Jobe on its postseason roster, but what role he might fill in that case isn't clear. Over his last seven minor-league starts between Double-A and Triple-A prior to his late-September promotion to the majors, Jobe posted a 2.57 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 32:15 K:BB in 35 innings.
The Tigers selected Jobe's contract from Triple-A Toledo on Tuesday.
One of the top pitching prospects in the game, Jobe has collected a 2.36 ERA and 96:45 K:BB over 91.2 innings covering 21 starts across three minor-league levels in 2024. The plan is to use Jobe in the bullpen for the time being, with bulk relief being a possibility given how often the Tigers have been using openers.
The Tigers will select Jobe's contract from Triple-A Toledo prior to Tuesday's game against the Rays.
Per Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic, Jobe is expected to pitch out of the Detroit bullpen during his first stint in the big leagues. Arguably the top pitching prospect in baseball, Jobe has posted a 2.36 ERA and 96:45 K:BB over 91.2 innings covering 21 starts across three minor-league levels in 2024. Shelby Miller will be designated for assignment in a corresponding move.
The Tigers promoted Jobe from Double-A Erie to Triple-A Toledo on Saturday.
Jobe will likely get two or three more starts under his belt at the Triple-A level this season with the hope of making enough of an impression down the stretch to merit consideration for a spot in Detroit's 2025 Opening Day rotation. Though he missed nearly six weeks in May and June due to a hamstring injury, the 2024 campaign has been a successful one thus far for Jobe, who turned in a sparkling 1.95 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 81:38 K:BB across 73.2 innings with Erie.
Jobe has walked nine batters and struck out eight while registering a 3.72 ERA and 1.97 WHIP in his last two starts for Double-A Erie.
It's a surprising stretch for Jobe, as he'd walked 11 batters over his previous nine starts (36 innings). The Tigers could maintain Jobe's rookie eligibility for 2025 (to try for a prospect promotion incentive draft pick) by waiting until at least Aug. 16 to promote him while keeping him under 50 innings. However, given that he's still at Double-A and coming off two of his worst starts of the season, there's a chance he's not up at all this season.
Tigers' Jackson Jobe: Rolling since return to Double-A
Rotowire
Jobe (hamstring) has posted an 0.56 ERA, 0.69 WHIP and 21:6 K:BB in 16 innings over three starts with Double-A Erie since being reinstated from the 7-day injured list July 5.
Jobe missed just over two months of action at Double-A while recovering from a hamstring strain, but he's quickly returned to dominance upon rejoining the affiliate. He had perhaps his best outing yet Saturday against Birmingham, striking out five over six scoreless frames to lead off a combined no-hitter for Erie. From a performance standpoint, the 21-year-old right-hander certainly looks to be close to big-league ready, but with the Tigers sitting at 49-50 on the season and on the fringe of the AL wild-card race, it's uncertain if the organization will have much motivation to start his MLB service clock in 2024.
