The Detroit Tigers signed starter Alex Cobb — a 37-year-old who has pitched in 13 MLB season — to a one-year, $15 million contract in December 2024.
The Detroit Tigers have four pitchers locked into their starting rotation: Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, Reese Olson and Casey Mize. Of those four, Skubal is the only pitcher with a sub-3.00 ERA.
The fifth spot in the rotation has been a combination of three pitchers over the past two months: Keider Montero, Sawyer Gipson-Long and Troy Melton.
It was supposed to be Alex Cobb, the 37-year-old right-hander who signed a one-year deal with the Tigers in the offseason.
He continues to occupy a spot on the injured list.
"It's been hard because I know how badly he wants to contribute to this team," manager A.J. Hinch said Friday, July 25. "He was signed in the offseason to help us in exactly these situations like we're going through right now, where we've had to mix and match our rotation."
The Tigers signed Cobb to a $15 million contract in December 2024. By February 2025, the 37-year-old had suffered a right hip injury, even before pitchers and catchers reported to spring training. The 13-year MLB veteran has dealt with injuries to both hips throughout this season.
Cobb has received too many injections to count.
He still isn't healthy.
Cobb completed a bullpen session Thursday, July 24, in hopes of beginning another rehab assignment in the near future. He previously made a three-start rehab assignment in late May and early June, but he felt pain in every start, walked five batters across 6⅓ innings and had to be shut down.
"I'm not sure that he feels perfect," Hinch said. "I just passed him in the weight room when I was walking up here. He's always in great spirits, but there's always a little something that he's trying to navigate."
It sounds as though Cobb needs at least one more bullpen session before starting the second rehab assignment, but nobody knows the timetable for him to join the Tigers.
His health will determine his availability.
"We need to get him back on the mound again," Hinch said, "and keep pushing him until we get him to competition."
When healthy, Cobb has been an effective starting pitcher.
He owns a 3.75 ERA across 410⅔ innings in 77 starts over his past four MLB seasons, but he made just three regular-season starts in 2024 due to injuries.
"That's a big win, when and if he gets healthy," Hinch said.
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Timeline for José Urquidy
Right-hander José Urquidy continues to recover from his second Tommy John surgery — the reconstruction of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
The 30-year-old is rehabbing in Lakeland, Florida – home of the Tigers' spring training complex. The Tigers signed him to a one-year, $1 million contract with a $4 million club option for 2026.
"He's going great," Hinch said.
Urquidy completed his first bullpen session May 20, then his first live batting practice session Tuesday, July 22. He will complete his second live batting practice session Saturday, July 26, and he is getting close to a rehab assignment.
"Normally, it's one or two of these live BPs to get into competition," Hinch said. "When you're talking about coming back from surgery, it's got to be a little bit open-ended."
Expect Urquidy to begin a rehab assignment in early August.
After that, Urquidy could join the Tigers' starting rotation by late August.
"We're going to have baby watch with him," Hinch said. "He and his wife are having another baby. I think it's early next month. Hopefully, that coincides with the right timing of him getting into competition, and then we'll see how far we need to build him before we have to make decisions on him."
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When is Sawyer Gipson-Long's next rehab start?
Gipson-Long — a right-hander who was pulled off his rehab assignment recently after two rehab starts — is scheduled to complete a bullpen session Saturday. The 27-year-old has been sidelined with neck stiffness.
He will throw a couple of bullpen sessions before beginning another rehab assignment, possibly in early August.
"It shouldn't set him back too far from a volume standpoint," Hinch said, "but we need to clear any issues, so we'll get him off the mound this weekend. We'll probably do it maybe a couple of times before we get him out."
Gipson-Long hasn't pitched for the Tigers since June 27.
Contact Evan Petzold at [email protected] or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Alex Cobb, Jose Urquidy could help Detroit Tigers as starting pitchers
Category: Baseball
