Another Alex Cobb injury update has Tigers fans ready to throw $15 million into the trash

Emma Lingan

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Alex Cobb throws against Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Game 3 of ALDS at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Fans were already scratching their heads back in December when the Detroit Tigers signed 37-year-old pitcher Alex Cobb to a one-year, $15 million contract, and it's safe to say the signing has not gotten any better better with age.

More than halfway through the 2025 season, Cobb has yet to throw a single pitch in a Tigers uniform. The veteran right-hander has been sidelined since early spring training with a right hip injury – one that has continued to be an issue for him even after he began his minor league rehab assignment more than a month ago.

Cobb completed three starts on his right hip rehab assignment, but the Tigers were forced to pause the rehab assignment in mid-June when he developed a new injury in his left hip. Cobb has since gotten multiple injections in his left hip, the most recent being earlier this week.

Another Alex Cobb injury update has Tigers fans ready to throw $15 million into the trash

Chris McCosky of the Detroit News reported that Cobb had received an injection in his left hip earlier this week and that he was set to resume throwing this weekend.

Cobb is expected to resume his minor league rehab assignment at some point, though it remains to be seen exactly when. Through his first three starts with High-A West Michigan and Triple-A Toledo, he threw 107 pitches over 6 1/3 innings for one earned run and a 1.42 ERA. Even though he can still pitch effectively, Cobb's hip injuries are severely limiting his mobility on the mound.

At a certain point, the Tigers need to be honest with themselves and acknowledge that this was a bad signing. They also shouldn't be afraid to cut their losses, like they did with Kenta Maeda earlier this year. At this rate, Cobb is never going to be an effective contributor to this team, and it's not fair to ask him to continue to put strain on his body and risk further injuring himself if that's the case.

When you sign a $15 million player in December, and he's still just playing catch in July, it's safe to say the signing was a bust. Besides, the American League-leading Tigers are clearly doing just fine without Cobb in their rotation, anyway.

More Tigers content from Motor City Bengals

Emma Lingan

Emma Lingan is an MLB Staff Writer for FanSided primarily covering the Pittsburgh Pirates. She has been covering baseball for more than a decade dating back to her time as a student at Wake Forest University, and she has won two gold medals as a member of the U.S. National Team delegation (2016 Pan-American Championships & 2017 World Baseball Classic). A native of Washington, D.C. and current resident of Nashville, Tenn., she is also entering her seventh season as a credentialed NHL media member and currently covers the NHL’s Nashville Predators for The Hockey News. When she's not watching hockey, baseball or football, she enjoys podcasting, reading, going to the gym, consuming large amounts of coffee and taking long walks with her dog, Minkah. You can follow her @Emma_lingan on Twitter and Instagram.