It has been a month since flexor inflammation sent Jack Flaherty to the 15-day injured list, and Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including the Detroit News’ Chris McCosky) that the right-hander could throw a bullpen session as early as this weekend. As McCosky breaks down the usual pattern of the Tigers’ throwing progression and rehab process for pitchers, Flaherty should be on target to return by roughly mid-September, if all goes well.
Flaherty has a 4.59 ERA, 26.2% strikeout rate, and 10.8% walk rate over 19 starts and 86 1/3 innings for Detroit this season. He has continually struggled to pitch deep into games, but in terms of results, Flaherty’s 2026 is something of a tale of two years. After posting a 5.81 ERA in his first 52 2/3 frames, Flaherty bounced back with a 2.67 ERA in the 33 2/3 innings pitched prior to his IL stint.
The flexor issue was initially thought to be relatively minor, so Flaherty has already missed more time than expected in his recovery process. One setback in the throwing progression might be enough at this point of the season to get Flaherty shut down, especially if the Tigers are no longer in the playoff race. While Detroit remains 2.5 games out of the final AL wild card slot, the Tigers have lost six of their last seven games to drop to a 61-67 record.
The health news also isn’t great for Brant Hurter, whose minor league rehab assignment has been halted. Hinch told McCosky and company that “we don’t expect [Hurter] to stop throwing or completely shut down. But we need to take a mini-step away from pitching this week and get him moving the way he’s supposed to be moving.”
Hurter has a 2.56 ERA over 133 2/3 innings for Detroit since making his MLB debut in 2024, as the grounder specialist has worked as a bulk pitcher and in traditional starting or relief roles as part of the Tigers’ “pitching chaos” mix. However, lumbar spine inflammation has kept Hurter on the IL (first the 15-day and then the 60-day) for the last three months, and he has struggled badly since beginning a minor league rehab assignment in early August.
Hurter has a 24.55 ERA over five games and 3 2/3 innings, with decreased velocity to go along with his inflated run total. While teams usually don’t factor on-field results into the equation during rehab assignments, it’s pretty clear that Hurter isn’t quite right, and it isn’t clear when he’ll be back in game action.
Speaking of long-term injuries, Parker Meadows has been on the 60-day IL since April, after he suffered a concussion and a fractured left radius after an outfield collision with teammate Riley Greene. Hinch provided an update on Meadows’ workouts at the Tigers’ spring complex in Lakeland, saying that “he’s running, throwing, catching the ball. But the swing had not been able to be full speed. It’s the [left] hand and he’s not able to complete the full aggressive swing. There are still some issues with that.”
Again, Meadows faces a ticking clock in the form of the end of the regular season, particularly since he seems nowhere near a rehab assignment. Hinch said the Tigers haven’t ruled Meadows out for a return, “yet it feels like it’s been forever and we haven’t been able to push him forward and we’re closing in on September.”
