One year after securing a postseason spot, the Detroit Tigers have surged to the top of the American League this season. The key difference between last year’s team, which needed a late-season push to make the playoffs, and this year’s squad, which is smoothly heading toward a playoff berth, is the impressive performance of their starting rotation. With a 3.31 ERA, they currently rank third in baseball.
While the Tigers’ pitching has been outstanding, they did encounter a few challenges in June. Tarik Skubal has continued to pitch as dominantly as he did during his 2024 Cy Young Award-winning campaign, but Casey Mize has been struggling with a hamstring issue, and Jack Flaherty has been off track after a rough month.
On the bright side, reinforcements are on the way, including the return of a Tigers starter who is nearing the end of a lengthy rehab process.
Reese Olson to Rejoin Tigers During Upcoming Guardians Series
According to Chris McCosky of The Detroit News, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told reporters that Reese Olson has completed his rehab assignment from a finger injury and will return to the rotation during this weekend’s series against the Cleveland Guardians.
While McCosky also mentioned that Olson could make his return in Friday’s series opener, the Tigers are eager to see him back on the mound. The right-hander was having an impressive start to the season, posting a 4-3 record with a 2.96 ERA before landing on the injured list with right ring finger inflammation on May 19. Olson also set a career-high 25.4% strikeout rate across 48.2 innings.
As of Wednesday, Detroit held a 12-game lead over the Guardians in the American League Central, making Olson’s recovery even more promising. The Tigers have effectively leveraged their pitching depth this season, employing a six-man rotation early on and making adjustments as injuries arose.
If Olson is able to return to his early-season form, the Tigers can spend the weeks leading up to the trade deadline shoring up some of their other needs including a right-handed bat and some help in the bullpen. Everything should slot into the October puzzle Detroit is trying to put together and should help them make a push toward their first American League pennant since 2012.
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