The Detroit Tigers announced yesterday that rookie right-handed pitcher Jackson Jobe is expected to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery, ending his 2025 season. Initial reports following Jobe’s injury back on May 30th suggested he would return post-All-Star break. Still, the Tigers had further medical evaluations done, indicating that UCL surgery was the best long-term plan for Jobe. Ranked as the #3 prospect by Baseball America before the season began, Jobe will most likely not take the mound until mid-2026.
Tigers announce RHP Jackson Jobe will undergo Tommy John surgery. pic.twitter.com/zdtvfx1jVq
— MLB (@MLB) June 11, 2025
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Jackson Jobe Needs Tommy John Surgery, Done For The Year
Great Start Put On Pause
Jobe was having an incredible start to his rookie year, becoming the first pitcher in Tigers history to have the team win his first eight starts of a rookie season. He finishes the year with a 4-1 record, 4.22 ERA, and 1.490 WHIP. His best start of the season came against the Minnesota Twins back on May 12th, when Jobe went six strong innings, allowing just two hits and zero runs. That was a small glimpse of what is hopefully a bright future for the young right-hander.
Drafted third overall in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Heritage Hall High School in Irving, Texas, Jobe was one of the top pitching prospects in the draft. His pitch mix, including his 70-grade slider, makes him a very intriguing young prospect, and he has already shown some of that promise at the age of 23.
Injury Woes Continue
This isn’t the first major injury Jobe has suffered in his pro career. Back in 2023, Jobe missed a large chunk of the season due to lumbar spine inflammation, but returned better than ever. These were certainly some concerns when Jobe was drafted out of high school, having never really experienced a grueling baseball schedule. Even to this day, Jobe has never thrown over 100 innings in his pro career, definitely something to monitor even more once Jobe returns to the mound.
Looking Ahead
Tommy John is the worst injury a pitcher can go through, with a recovery timeline of around 12 months. With that in mind, likely, Jobe won’t take the mound for the Tigers until this time next year. However, with every recovery period being different, there is no telling when Jobe will be back in the major leagues. Once he can return to throwing a baseball, it will be the job of the Tigers’ medical staff to monitor the soreness and ensure that Jobe doesn’t endure any sort of setbacks.
Having Tommy John surgery this early in a career is a cause for concern, because once you have the procedure once, it is more common for it to happen a second time. Look at pitchers like Walker Buehler, Dustin May, Jacob deGrom, and Shane McClanahan; these are all guys who have had multiple Tommy John surgeries, and the list still goes on. Knowing that, the Tigers might lean on the side of caution in the recovery process, considering Jobe is the future of the Tigers’ starting rotation.
This is just one obstacle that Jobe will need to overcome if he wants to become one of the best starting pitchers in the MLB when it is all said and done.
Main Photo Credit: © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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