Tigers welcome back demoted rookie, option reliever immediately after first career win

Justyn-Henry Malloy was the unfortunate victim of Parker Meadows' long-awaited return from the IL on June 2, and the Tigers sent him down right as he was starting to find a groove. In his last seven games, he'd hit .286 with improving on-base and slugging numbers, but Meadows' return after a great end to the 2024 season forced the Tigers' hand.

Malloy has remained down in the minors despite other roster moves that could've given him an opportunity in the meantime; Andy Ibáñez being sent down, Matt Vierling hitting the IL again, and then Kerry Carpenter going onto the IL.

But on Wednesday, in between the first and second games of a doubleheader against the Nationals, the Tigers optioned Dylan Smith back to Triple-A and recalled Malloy. He's already slotted into the lineup, hitting leadoff, for the conclusion of the doubleheader.

Malloy's return to the majors felt somewhat inevitable, but it's a particularly tough blow for Smith, who just earned his first career win over the Nats after pitching 3 1/3 scoreless innings at the back end of the game.

Tigers recall Justyn-Henry Malloy after June demotion, option Dylan Smith after first career win vs. Nationals

Malloy was hitting .321 with a .935 OPS in Triple-A, so there's no question of whether or not he deserved the promotion. It's a little strange, though, that the Tigers promoted Trey Sweeney to take Kerry Carpenter's place on the roster just days after they initially demoted him, only to bring Malloy up a few days later. The switch with Smith is even weirder, as one would think that the Tigers need all of the bullpen help they can get with Sawyer Gipson-Long's move to the IL on Wednesday.

Smith has already been up and down a few times this season since his MLB debut on June 2, so it seems likely we'll see him again throughout the year.

Malloy is joining a pretty crowded outfield that's already regularly employing Riley Greene in left and Meadows in center, but he could platoon in right field with Wenceel Pérez while the Tigers wait on Carpenter. It's a testament to the amount of depth the Tigers have with their homegrown players, but Malloy will have to compete with Pérez, Sweeney, and Jahmai Jones to make an impression before Carpenter is activated from the IL.