The Detroit Tigers got a win over the Cleveland Guardians after dropping both ends of Friday’s doubleheader on walk-offs, and that came with a roster shuffle before the series finale at Progressive Field.
Detroit activated left-handed pitcher Brant Hurter off the 60-day injured list, optioned left-handed pitcher Andrew Sears to Triple-A Toledo, and moved outfielder Matt Vierling to the 60-day injured list to clear space on the 40-man roster.
The Tigers said on X that “The Tigers today activated LHP Brant Hurter off the 60-day injured list and optioned LHP Andrew Sears to Triple-A Toledo.To make room for Hurter on the 40-man roster, OF Matt Vierling was transferred to the 60-day injured list.”
Hurter gives the bullpen another arm after missing time since late May with lumbar spine inflammation. He has been working his way back with the Mud Hens in Toledo, and the Tigers should have him available in Cleveland. Before the injury, Hurter put together a 2.84 ERA across 25.1 innings, with 18 strikeouts and a 1.07 WHIP.
Since his debut in 2024, Hurter has emerged as one of A.J. Hinch’s more trusted relief options, so his return matters for a pitching staff that needed help.
Sears, a former 10th-round pick, heads back to Toledo after giving Detroit some length. In his last start before the move, he worked 5.2 innings against Cleveland and allowed four hits, one run, and four strikeouts.
Vierling’s move to the 60-day injured list means he will not be back in the Tigers lineup in 2026. He went on the injured list July 31 with a left adductor strain and had been having trouble with his return-to-play progression. Though he is under team control until 2028, Detroit may have a decision ahead on the utility man after two injury-plagued seasons since he joined the club in 2024.
In Other News...
Tigers Bullpen Questions Just Got Stranger With One Pitcher's Status
Enmanuel De Jesus has already had a winding season with the Tigers, bouncing between option and recall more than once as Detroit tried to sort out its bullpen depth. Then came a brief September twist: he was suspended on Sept. 1 for reasons the club has not explained, a move that would have ruled him out of a normal call-up for the stretch run.
The situation took an even stranger turn the next day, when De Jesus was reactivated and pitched immediately after returning. The Tigers still have not publicly addressed either the suspension or where his status stands now, leaving one more bullpen question hanging over a group that has already spent the season in flux. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Need One Pitching Prospect To Justify The Tarik Skubal Trade
River Ryans recovery is starting to give the Tigers something to monitor beyond the noise that always follows a trade built around a front-line arm. The pitching prospect, acquired in the Tarik Skubal deal, is coming along from a hamstring injury and is set to throw a bullpen session soon, a small but meaningful checkpoint for a player Detroit is clearly counting on to add value down the line.
There still is no firm return date, which leaves the picture cloudy for now, and the possibilities range from a second-half debut this month to a longer wait that could push his impact into 2026. Evaluators have had concerns about Ryans health and age, but there is still enough belief in his upside that every step in his rehab matters, especially for a Tigers organization trying to make sure one prospect in the package can help justify the price. [Read more 🡒]
Riley Greene Gave The Tigers The Jolt They Desperately Needed
Riley Greene gave Detroit exactly the kind of lift it had been hunting for, turning in a big night at the plate as the Tigers handled Cleveland 6-0. Greene kept the pressure on throughout the game with extra-base damage and steady run production, giving a lineup that has searched for consistency a much-needed spark against a division opponent.
Framber Valdez backed it up with a calm, efficient outing, working seven scoreless innings and keeping the Guardians from ever finding a foothold. The victory nudged Detroit to 65-77 and trimmed a game off the gap in the American League wild-card chase, a small but meaningful step for a club still trying to make late September feel relevant. [Read more 🡒]