If you thought the so-called “pitching chaos” in Detroit was a thing of the past, think again.
The Tigers have placed right-hander Reese Olson on the 15-day injured list due to an issue with his right ring finger, according to Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. In response, the team has called up Chase Lee from Triple-A Toledo and is preparing for a bullpen game on Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals.
It’s unclear exactly when or how Olson sustained the injury. He tossed 85 pitches over six shutout innings against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday before manager AJ Hinch removed him from the game, citing what was initially thought to be a minor finger cramp. The Blue Jays went on to secure a 2-1 win with a two-out walk-off single by Ernie Clement in the ninth inning.
However, it now appears the injury is more serious than initially believed and will require Olson to miss time. The timing is unfortunate, as the 25-year-old has been in peak form, posting a 1.60 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and a 38:11 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 33 2/3 innings in his last six outings. He’s logged four scoreless starts in nine appearances during what has been the best stretch of his career.
Reese Olson will be eligible to come off the injured list on June 2, though it’s still unclear if he’ll be ready to return by then.
Meanwhile, right-hander Casey Mize—sidelined since May 9 with a left hamstring strain—is expected to rejoin the Tigers’ rotation by this weekend, helping offset Olson’s absence. Additionally, Jack Flaherty’s next start has been pushed to Thursday against the Cleveland Guardians.
For now, the Tigers will lean on the bullpen for Wednesday’s game, echoing last season’s “pitching chaos” approach. After that, the rotation will consist of Flaherty, Tarik Skubal, Jackson Jobe, and Keider Montero. If there’s a team equipped to handle pitching setbacks, it’s AJ Hinch’s Tigers. Unlike last year, though, this time there’s a clearer path forward, with reinforcements on the horizon as key arms near a return.
