There’s an old saying: At times, the biggest battles are fought off the field. Right now, this saying hits just the right spot for the 25-year-old star of the Detroit Tigers. Ideally, spring training is supposed to be all about gearing up for the new season, fresh energy, and a chance for teams to build momentum before Opening Day. Although, for the Detroit Tigers, it’s more like a nightmare. Their promising 25-year-old star is now sidelined for even longer than expected.

The 25-year-old star is none other than Parker Meadows. His injury status has just taken a sharp turn as his reports confirmed that he’ll be out for at least four more weeks, pushing his return to late April—if not longer. The young center fielder was battling with a musculocutaneous nerve injury in his right arm, which kept him off the field for around three weeks.

Meadows was expected to be a major piece of Detroit’s outfield and his late return will be a major setback. On the other hand, for the tigers, it’s a nightmare situation. Moreover, this isn’t just about Meadows. The Tigers’ outfield is entirely crumbling as Matt Vierling is coping with a right shoulder strain and Akil Baddoo’s hand surgery, which will keep him sidelined for some time.

The countdown to opening day has already begun, and the Detroit Tigers have some replacement decisions to make. The question is, who can possibly step up now? There is a possibility that Kerry Carpenter will take on a bigger role. Will the Tigers call the prospect Justyn-Henry Malloy? Well, we will know more in no time. For now, the Detroit Tigers’ depth is being tested like never before.

Tigers’ promising prospect earns spot in starting rotation following the latest roster adjustments

The Detroit Tigers’ rotation battle just took an exciting turn and the final pieces of their roster are finally falling into place. Wondering who’s making the starting rotation? Well, we finally have our answer.

The Tigers optioned right-hander Keider Montero and infielder Ryan Kreidler to Triple-A Toledo, officially taking Montero out of consideration for a starting spot. Matt Manning is already in the minors, and veteran Alex Cobb is sidelined because of injury, which leaves one spot to grab. And guess who is stepping up?

None other than Jackson Jobe. The ones who follow the Tigers’ farm system know that Jobe is a name to watch. In 2021, he was drafted third overall. The 22-year-old has been consistently climbing the ranks. In the last year, he dominated in Triple-A Toledo and recorded a 2.36 ERA with 96 strikeouts in 91.2 innings.

He made his MLB debut later in the season and although everything is a part of the learning curve, his postseason outing was a bit rough. But hey, his journey feels a lot similar to Casey Mize’s. There was a time when Mize was the Tigers’ No. 1 prospect. In 2022, he displayed sincere potential before Tommy John surgery halted things. He’s back for good and in an attempt to rebuild himself in the rotation.

The countdown to opening day continues, and Jackson Jobe is securing his spot. If all pans out well, this could be the start of something extraordinary.