The 2025 Detroit Tigers rotation is generating plenty of excitement. Tarik Skubal is the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner and arguably the top pitcher in the league right now.
Jack Flaherty, an All-Star caliber pitcher during his time with the Tigers last season, re-signed with the team late in the offseason, solidifying their No. 2 starter position.
Reese Olson may not be a household name, but he posted a 3.53 ERA in 22 starts and 112.1 innings last year, making him a reliable No. 3 starter.
The Tigers’ rotation becomes especially intriguing at the back end, with Alex Cobb unlikely to be ready for Opening Day. Former No. 1 overall pick Casey Mize will get another shot to prove his worth at the MLB level, but the competition for the fifth starter spot was expected to be decided in spring training.
Among the candidates were 36-year-old Kenta Maeda, coming off a lost season, and 22-year-old Jackson Jobe, considered one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. Fans were clearly hoping for Jobe to claim that spot (not the pitcher with an ERA over 7.00 as a starter last season), but he needed to perform in spring training. Unfortunately for Jobe, his first chance to shine didn’t quite go as planned.
The challenge for Jobe was significant, as he faced a lineup filled with Baltimore Orioles regulars, including Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, and Tyler O’Neill. After a clean first inning, Jobe hit trouble in the second.
The right-hander walked O’Neill on four pitches and, two pitches later, gave up a two-run homer to Heston Kjerstad. While Jobe showed flashes of good stuff throughout the afternoon, even striking out Rutschman on three pitches, the second inning revealed why it might not be the best time to count on him for the MLB rotation.
Jobe’s command faltered in that second inning, and even when he found the strike zone against Kjerstad, that pitch was hit out of the park. His stuff is undeniable, but command is something that still needs work. While stuff is important, command is essential for pitchers to succeed at the MLB level.
Had Maeda struggled in his first outing, the situation might have looked different, but surprisingly, he impressed many Tigers fans by throwing harder than last season and completing two scoreless innings.
Although spring training performances shouldn’t be overly criticized, for players on the bubble like Maeda and Jobe, their showings do matter. Jobe will get more chances to change the narrative, but early signs from spring training indicate that the fifth rotation spot could very well be Maeda’s to lose, even if that’s not what Tigers fans want to hear.