The Detroit Tigers are the hottest team in baseball, and they’re making sure they do everything possible to secure an unlikely playoff spot.
Jackson Jobe, baseball’s No. 1 pitching prospect according to MLB Pipeline, is being promoted, the team announced, to potentially help put the Tigers over the edge as they continue their incredible postseason push.
All of Jobe’s 58 minor-league appearances have been as a starter, but he will pitch out of the bullpen for Detroit, according to manager A.J. Hinch.
The Tigers designated veteran reliever Shelby Miller for assignment to make room for the prized prospect.
The No. 3 overall draft pick in the 2021 MLB Draft boasts a fastball that averages 96.4 mph and that should play up in a relief role as he has hit 99 mph with ease during his starts.
He also utilizes a slider, cutter and changeup.
Jobe pitched to a 2.36 ERA while advancing through three different minor-league levels within the Tigers organization this season, but only threw nine innings in Triple-A.
Should Jobe help get the Tigers to the playoffs, it will mark one of the most improbable turnarounds in MLB history after the Tigers sat at 55-63 and 10 games out of a playoff spot after an Aug. 10 loss.
Detroit is a dazzling 27-11 since that date, posting the best record in all of baseball, ahead of the Mets, who are 26-13 in that span.
The Tigers are now tied with the Royals for the two last wild-card spots in the American League, one game ahead of the tanking Minnesota Twins and 1 1/2 ahead of the Seattle Mariners.
The Tigers open a three-game home series against the Rays on Tuesday night before finishing the season at home against the White Sox, who are 36-120 and on the verge of becoming the team with the most losses in baseball history.
