Tigers fans happy to hear positive update on Jackson Jobe from pitcher's father

The Tigers' rotation was dealt a massive blow back in June when the team announced rookie Jackson Jobe was to undergo Tommy John surgery, ending his 2025 and potentially 2026 season. He'd been on the IL with what was supposedly a mild flexor strain for less than two weeks when the Tigers delivered the bad news.

Detroit found ways to paper over that hole in the rotation until the trade deadline, with a lot more pitching chaos days and Keider Montero reclaiming a somewhat regular presence with the starting staff. When Reese Olson also went down again in late July, the front office acquired Chris Paddack and Charlie Morton, and they're still hopeful that more reinforcements are on the way.

Still, Jobe was once the most highly ranked pitching prospect in baseball, and he'd already had his feet thrown to the fire when some of his first major league innings were pitched in the postseason. 2025 was supposed to be his real opportunity to settle in and have a proper rookie season.

Fans haven't heard much from Jobe since the surgery, but his father, professional golfer Brandt Jobe, provided an update while competing at an event in Grand Blanc. "He'll be ready," he said. "I promise."

Jackson Jobe's father provides update on Tigers' pitcher's condition after undergoing Tommy John

Brandt said that Jackson is still in Texas, where he initially underwent the surgery, and is working closely with doctors in his rehabilitation. He has his full range of movement back and hopes to be throwing again by Dec. 15.

"I will tell you, he went to them (doctors) and said, 'Tell me what to do, and that's all I'm going to do. And I'm going to do it to a T. Because they gave him examples of so many guys that have overdone it. But I asked him, 'How's it going?' He's like, 'It's unbelievable.'"

It's pretty clear that Jobe won't be on the Tigers' 2026 Opening Day roster, but a Dec. 15 date to start even light throwing is promising news for a potential late summer 2026 return. Detroit will be losing a number of pitchers to free agency after this season — Paddack and Morton — and will presumably sign one or two replacements in the offseason, but they should be ready to make room for Jobe later on in the year.