Jobe rejoins Tigers eager to get back on the mound after 14-month TJ recovery

This story was excerpted from Jason Beck’s Tigers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

SEATTLE -- The last time the Tigers were here, they were dealing with the heartbreak of their 15-inning loss in Game 5 of the American League Division Series. As they returned to T-Mobile Park on Tuesday, they had a whole other feeling of loss with Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize now in the National League West … but also a feeling of gain with one of the pitchers replacing them.

Jackson Jobe was so excited to get the call Monday night to join the team in the Pacific Northwest that he jumped on a flight Tuesday morning and headed straight to the park. He won’t be in the team’s plans until this weekend in San Francisco, but after 14 months of recovering from Tommy John surgery, he couldn’t wait.

“I don't know if it's really hit me yet,” Jobe said. “I was sitting in Detroit, kinda waiting around to see what was going to happen. I'm just grateful to be back, to see everyone, get back in the swing of things and help the team.”

The Tigers haven’t announced a return date for Jobe yet, but they’ll need a fifth starter on Saturday. His scheduled bullpen session Wednesday would line up with that. It’ll be like a second MLB debut for the 2021 third overall Draft pick, who was in the middle of the growing pains of a rookie starter when a right elbow injury put his career on hold.

What followed was a long, lonely rehab. Jobe talked with other Tigers pitchers who’d had the procedure, learned what to expect, asked what they would do differently in hindsight. But there was a learning process he could only experience himself.

“A lot about myself as a person off the field,” Jobe said. “Obviously the game was kind of taken away from me. I had to figure out my identity away from the game, which was really good for me, to be honest. And a whole bunch of different stuff to add to my routine, obviously got stronger, refined my mechanics, all that stuff.

“But it's a blessing in disguise, I think, going through that. I believe everything happens for a reason; God has a plan for us. This was part of my plan, and I definitely came out better on the back end, so I'm excited to see what it looks like.”

Jobe’s pitching looked just fine during his four-week rehab assignment that had him criss-crossing the Tigers' farm system to get starts on turn. His fastball was back at 100 mph from his first outing. His slider still looked like the high-spin weapon that helped earn him top prospect status not that long ago, and his changeup flummoxed several young prospects.

The challenge so far has been refining the stuff and executing with precision, as is often the case with pitchers coming back from Tommy John surgery.

“Strike throwing felt pretty good,” he said. “It's just two-strike execution, things like that. Being able to be a little bit more perfect when I need to be has been the last thing to come along. But I feel like I'm in a much better position than I expected to be in as far as feel goes. I really feel like after every rehab start, I'm getting better and better. It's starting to feel normal.”

Jobe’s impressive form in his rehab was a saving grace for the Tigers as the trade rumors swirled around Skubal and Mize, giving hope that Detroit could withstand the loss of two front-line starters and still keep a solid rotation going for the stretch run in a playoff chase that’s still within their grasp. Still, it means Jobe’s return comes without two of the veteran mentors who helped him through not only his first taste of the big leagues, but through his rehab as Tommy John patients themselves.

“Obviously it's kind of a bummer,” Jobe said, “two older guys that have had a lot of success, guys that I've really leaned on coming up. Definitely bummed to see them go, Jake [Rogers] too. I have a ton of love for those guys and obviously wish them the best. They're all not only great baseball players and great teammates, but great guys to have around, friends.”

Jobe celebrated his 24th birthday just last week. He was the youngest player on the team the last time he pitched in the big leagues. He returns with younger teammates in Hao-Yu Lee, Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark, the latter two just 21.

“I feel like I was 21 two days ago,” Jobe joked.