Tigers right-hander Reese Olson is done for the year after undergoing a right shoulder labral repair, the team announced. Olson has been placed on the 60-day IL, along with fellow right-hander Jackson Jobe. The moves will open up 40-man roster spots for recent free agent additions Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander.
Olson’s 2025 season ended in late July due to a right shoulder strain. There had been rumblings that he might not be ready for Opening Day, but there hadn’t been any indication that he’d be sidelined for an extended time. His surgery went down on Feb. 2, per the team announcement. Jobe’s move to the 60-day IL was anticipated. He had Tommy John surgery in June and is set to miss most, if not all, of the upcoming season.
The Valdez and Verlander signings make more sense following the Olson revelation. Detroit will now have Valdez and Tarik Skubal at the top of the rotation, followed in some order by Verlander, Jack Flaherty, and Casey Mize. Troy Melton will serve as a depth option. Jobe could join the mix later in the season.
The 26-year-old Olson has been a reliable member of the Detroit rotation since his debut in 2023. He’s compiled a 3.60 ERA with decent strikeout and walk numbers across 56 big-league appearances. Injuries have been the main limiting factor. Olson missed the majority of the second half in 2024 with a shoulder strain. He missed time in the middle of last season with finger inflammation. Olson made it back for just four games after the finger issue before going down with the most recent shoulder strain.
Detroit acquired Olson from the Brewers straight up for Daniel Norris at the 2021 trade deadline. He finished that season at Double-A in the Tigers’ system. Olson spiked a 33.1% strikeout rate in a repeat of the level in 2022. He earned a promotion to Triple-A in 2023, where he continued to miss bats at a well-above-average clip. Olson’s 6.38 ERA with Toledo didn’t suggest a callup was imminent, though his FIP was more than a run lower. He made 18 starts with Detroit that season, including a dominant September where he allowed five earned runs across five appearances.
Olson hasn’t been able to replicate the strikeout upside he showed in the minor leagues, despite a pair of plus swing-and-miss pitches. The righty’s changeup and slider both had whiff rates above 42% in 2024 and 2025. Olson has posted an identical 12.7% swinging-strike rate in each of the past two seasons. The arsenal just hasn’t translated to punchouts. Olson has been right around league average in strikeout rate at the MLB level. He hasn’t reached a strikeout per inning in any season with the Tigers.
Photo courtesy of Junfu Han, Imagn Images
