Tigers Reliever Kenley Jansen Lands on 15-Day IL with Pelvic Inflammation

In a tough turn of events for the Detroit Tigers, reliever Kenley Jansen has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to pelvic inflammation, just before the team faced the Los Angeles Angels in a game that ended in a disappointing 7-1 loss. The decision comes after Jansen exited Wednesday’s contest after securing two outs in the ninth inning, struggling notably as he walked Mike Trout on four consecutive pitches, all well outside the strike zone. His performance was further hindered as he appeared to have difficulty with his landing after each throw, finishing the inning with only four strikes out of nine pitches.

Adding to the Tigers’ woes, starting pitcher Casey Mize also left Wednesday’s game after four innings, during which he allowed only two hits. Mize is dealing with right groin tightness, but the team opted not to place him on the injured list, hoping he can recover in time for his next turn in the rotation. Mize, who had previously spent three weeks on the IL earlier this season with a right groin strain, expressed optimism, stating that this current issue feels less severe than his earlier injury.

Manager A.J. Hinch addressed the immediate concern of the bullpen, emphasizing the necessity of roster adjustments. “In the short-term, a bullpen move is the most obvious because of the availability of the ‘pen. We’re trying to have as full a team as we can,” Hinch shared, as reported by Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.

Jansen, a seasoned 17-year MLB veteran, is in his inaugural season with the Tigers after signing a one-year contract. Over 18 appearances, he has recorded a 4.80 ERA, striking out 19 batters in 15 innings, alongside seven saves for a team that has underperformed significantly this season. Jansen has been dealing with right groin soreness since early May, a situation reported by The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen.

To fill the void left by Jansen, the Tigers have called up reliever Drew Sommers from Triple-A Toledo. Sommers has demonstrated his capability with a 3.00 ERA, striking out 35 batters while issuing 11 walks across 21 innings.

Following Thursday’s defeat, the Tigers find themselves tied for the worst record in the American League at 22-35. The only team with a worse record is the Colorado Rockies at 20-37, leaving Detroit 10.5 games behind the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.