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Tag: Reese Olson

  • A.J. Hinch Opens Up on Reese Olson’s Season-Ending Surgery

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    The Detroit Tigers will be without one of their most quietly effective starters for the entire 2026 season.

    On February 2, right-hander Reese Olson underwent right shoulder labral repair surgery, officially ruling him out for the year. It’s a tough blow for both Olson and a Tigers rotation that had come to rely on his steady presence whenever he was healthy enough to take the mound.

    A Difficult End to a Long Struggle

    For Olson, this surgery wasn’t sudden, it was the culmination of a frustrating stretch defined by recurring shoulder issues.

    The 26-year-old missed significant time in both the 2024 and 2025 seasons, managing just 35 starts and 181 innings combined over those two years. Even when available, Olson was often pitching through discomfort, trying to stay on the mound while searching for answers.

    Now, the Tigers finally have clarity, even if the answer comes with a heavy cost.

    Olson Was Producing When Healthy

    Despite the limited workload, Olson was effective when he pitched.

    In 2025, he posted:

    • 3.15 ERA
    • 25 walks (8.8% walk rate)
    • 65 strikeouts (22.8% strikeout rate)
    • 68⅔ innings across 13 starts

    Those numbers reinforced what the Tigers believed internally: Olson wasn’t just depth, he was a legitimate, reliable rotation arm when healthy.

    Hinch: “It’s a Really Big Loss”

    Manager A.J. Hinch didn’t sugarcoat the impact of losing Olson for the season.

    “I feel for him. He’s had a really hard time,” Hinch said via the Detroit Free Press. “As much as we talk about the additions, it’s a really big loss. He’s sneaky underrated when it comes to people not talking about him a ton in our rotation, and when we’ve had him on the mound, he’s been really, really good. He’s still in the brace, and he’s going to have to shake your hand left-handed, but his spirits are fine. I think we got resolution with what’s been bothering him over the last 6–12 months, but I feel for him – because as excited as everybody is to get started, he’s had a rough last couple of weeks.”

    That quote captures both sides of the situation, relief at finally identifying the issue, and heartbreak at the timing.

    What It Means for the Tigers

    Olson’s absence creates a significant innings gap, especially for a team that values stability and depth in its rotation. While Detroit has added arms and flexibility, losing a pitcher who consistently delivered quality starts when healthy forces adjustments.

    It also underscores why the Tigers were so aggressive in adding rotation reinforcements this offseason.

    The Bigger Picture

    For Olson, the priority now is recovery, not rushing back, not pitching through pain, but giving himself a real chance at a clean reset. The Tigers believe the surgery addressed what had been nagging him for over a year, offering hope that 2027 could mark a true fresh start.

    For now, though, the Tigers move forward without him, and with a clear understanding of just how much he’ll be missed.

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    Don Drysdale

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  • Tigers Add Pitcher Jack Little, Reinstate Six Key Arms from Injured List

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    The Detroit Tigers made a series of roster moves on Thursday that show the front office is already deep into its offseason planning. The team claimed right-hander Jack Little off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates and reinstated six pitchers from the 60-day injured list, including several key arms expected to factor into the 2026 rotation and bullpen mix.

    Who is Jack Little?

    The newest Tiger, Jack Little, is a 27-year-old right-hander who’s already had a whirlwind 2025 season. Originally drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Stanford. where he set the program’s all-time saves record. Little made his Major League debut in June with the Dodgers before being picked up by Pittsburgh in August.

    He spent the final stretch of the year with Triple-A Indianapolis, finishing with a 4.64 ERA, 53 strikeouts, and 22 walks across 62 innings. While his command has wavered at times, Detroit clearly sees upside in the righty’s potential.

    The Reinforcements Return

    Alongside Little’s addition, the Tigers announced the reinstatement of six pitchers from the 60-day injured list:

    It’s a significant infusion of arms, and one that immediately reshapes the depth chart. Each of these pitchers has shown flashes of big-league promise, and several (notably Jobe and Olson) are considered key pieces of Detroit’s long-term pitching core.

    What It Means for Detroit

    This is the time of year when front offices get surgical with their rosters, and Thursday’s moves reflect that. By reclaiming Little and reinstating their injured pitchers, the Tigers are setting the table for bigger decisions ahead, who to protect, who to DFA, and how to construct a bullpen that struggled at times in 2025.

    Don’t expect Little’s move to be the last. Detroit’s front office will likely continue exploring low-risk, high-upside arms through waivers and minor trades as they look to stabilize a pitching staff that’s been hit hard by injuries and inconsistency.

    Still, adding a guy like Little, a Stanford product with a history of closing experience and a live arm, is exactly the kind of move that fits Harris’ offseason blueprint: cheap depth with potential upside.

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    Don Drysdale

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