Detroit Tigers lose pitcher Reese Olson for season: What it means for World Series contender

USA Today

2 days ago

Mired in a losing skid, the Detroit Tigers received some more bad news on Monday, July 28.
Detroit, which has lost eight of its 10 games to start the second half of the season, will be without starting pitcher Reese Olson for the remainder of the season due to a shoulder strain, Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris told reporters on Monday.
Olson has been a dependable and effective pitcher for the Tigers since debuting in 2023, as he effectively ends his 2025 season with a 3.15 ERA in 68 2/3 innings pitched with 65 strikeouts.
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Olson's injury likely played into Detroit's decision to trade for Minnesota Twins back-end starter Chris Paddack, who was acquired by the Tigers alongside fellow right-hander Randy Dobnak for minor-league prospect Enrique Jimenez.
What does Olson's injury mean for the pitcher-needy Tigers? Here's what to know of where Detroit goes from here:
Reese Olson injury: What it means for Detroit Tigers
The Tigers, who are in first place in the AL Central standings despite their recent skid, were in need of starting pitching even before Olson's injury. The 25-year-old right-hander going down puts Detroit in a precarious position with the trade deadline looming.
The Tigers used a bullpen-heavy approach in 2024 that led to their Cinderella run to the ALCS, but they'd likely prefer a traditional setup that starts with starting pitchers taking the bulk of the workload.
Detroit's addition of Paddack gives the Tigers another usable arm, but likely not one it'd prefer to use in a playoff series. Paddack has a 4.95 ERA this season and hasn't finished with above 1.0 wins-above replacement in a season since his rookie year in 2016 with the San Diego Padres.
The Tigers already are without Jackson Jobe, who's also out for the season, and Alex Cobb, although the veteran is hoping to return from a hip ailment before the regular season is over. Veteran right-hander Jose Urquidy, who's also on the 60-day injured list alongside Cobb, is another pitching option for Detroit.
Detroit's top three starting pitchers of ace Tarik Skubal, along with Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize have been reliable, but the Tigers are almost assuredly in the market for an impact starter before the trade deadline comes at 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 31.