Tigers may have fallback trade plan if Alex Cobb doesn't deliver after Jobe injury

The Detroit Tigers were dealt a significant blow to their rotation plans this week, as it was announced that their promising young righty Jackson Jobe will miss the remainder of the 2025 season. After starting the year with a 4–1 record across 10 starts and showing flashes of upside, Jobe was initially placed on the 15-day injured list on May 29 with a Grade 1 flexor strain. But the concern deepened, and by June 11 the team confirmed Jobe would be shut down for the rest of the season to undergo Tommy John surgery.

With Jobe out and the Tigers positioned as serious contenders atop the AL Central, Detroit now finds itself in an increasingly urgent quest for rotation stability.

That brings us to veteran Alex Cobb, who is currently working his way back on a minor league rehab assignment. After starting his rehab at High-A, where he threw several scoreless outings, Cobb has now moved up to Triple-A Toledo. While the early returns have been positive — Cobb has limited damage and shown flashes of sharpness. However, his velocity and pitch count are still being monitored.

Paul Blackburn could be Tigers’ rotation insurance with Cobb uncertainty

That’s exactly where Detroit’s insurance plan may need to come into focus. If Cobb hits a setback or simply can’t meet the expectations the Tigers need from a back-end starter, Detroit could find a potential solution from another source.

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Mets are already fielding calls on right-hander Paul Blackburn. The 2022 All-Star has been working out of the bullpen to start his season after experiencing several injuries, logging nine innings with a 3.00 ERA, six strikeouts, and a 1.33 WHIP over two appearances (one start, one outing in relief). With the Mets rotation nearing full health, Blackburn could be temporarily used as a spot starter — but long term, he’s looking more like the odd man out — creating a perfect window for Detroit to act.

Blackburn isn’t flashy, but he’s dependable. He owns a career 4.82 ERA over 437 1/3 innings with 335 strikeouts and a 1.40 WHIP. He’s battled inconsistency, sure — but he's also shown stretches of quality innings and composure. His All-Star campaign in 2022 proved he can contribute in a meaningful way when in good health. And in a Tigers rotation that already boasts frontline talent, Blackburn wouldn’t be asked to carry the load — he just needs to help stabilize it.

As the trade deadline nears, the Tigers don’t need to swing for a blockbuster to stay in contention. But they do need to be proactive. Jobe’s absence hurts, and Cobb’s return isn’t guaranteed to land. A low-cost trade for an arm like Blackburn could be just the kind of fallback move that helps Detroit weather the storm. But we'll have to monitor Kodai Senga's recent injury to see how willing the Mets are to trading more pitchers.