The Tigers will call up right-handed pitching prospect Ty Madden to start on Monday night against the White Sox, manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press). Hinch’s announcement came along with the news that fellow right-hander Alex Faedo has been moved from the paternity list to the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain. The Tigers will still need to make a corresponding move (or moves) to free up space for Madden on the 26 and 40-man rosters.
Madden, now 24, joined the Tigers organization as the 32nd overall pick in the 2021 draft. Entering the 2024 season, most sources (including MLB Pipeline, FanGraphs, and Keith Law of The Athletic) ranked him as the second-best pitching prospect in the system, behind only consensus top-100 prospect Jackson Jobe. However, Madden has struggled badly since his promotion to Triple-A in May. He has a 7.97 ERA and 5.28 FIP in 18 starts (79 IP). His 102 strikeouts are impressive, but he has walked 40 batters and given up 17 home runs. While those numbers are hardly encouraging, Madden has looked a little better as of late. He has thrown 29 1/3 innings over his last five starts, and while his 5.83 ERA is poor, his strikeout rate is up, his walk rate is down, and his 2.80 FIP represents a massive improvement.
The Tigers are in the midst of a stretch of 14 games in 14 days, so Madden will provide his new rotation-mates with a breather. That should be helpful for rookies Keider Montero, Bryan Sammons, and Brant Hurter, as well as ace Tarik Skubal, who has already surpassed his previous career high in innings pitched. It is also noteworthy that Madden will actually start the game, per Petzold. The Tigers have been making frequent use of openers lately; Skubal and Montero are the only members of the rotation who have been starting their own contests. That said, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News notes that Hurter will also make a proper start on Tuesday.
This is likely just a spot start for Madden before he heads back to Triple-A or joins Detroit’s bullpen. Casey Mize (60-day IL, hamstring strain) will return from the IL shortly, while Reese Olson (15-day IL, shoulder strain) is beginning the rehab process himself. Still, it makes sense that the Tigers are going to select Madden’s contract, considering they could use the fresh arm and they would have needed to protect from the Rule 5 draft this offseason anyway.
Faedo, 28, has made 37 appearances for the Tigers this season, including six as an opener. Over 57 1/3 innings, he has a 3.61 ERA and a 4.28 SIERA. According to Hinch, Faedo felt some soreness in his shoulder before he went on the paternity list, and the pain returned when he tried to play catch after the birth of his daughter (per McCosky). While it’s not entirely clear how serious the injury is, Hinch expressed hope that it could be “just minor inflammation.”
He needed to come on the protected list and he’s the one who gets a shot. Hopefully they get back to .500 tomorrow. They look like they are having a lot of fun now. GO TIGERS !
Gonna be nice to watch the White Sox perform with an opportunity for some of the guys to pick their numbers up. We been playing with more energy under Sizemore. Need Vargas to hit.
It’ll be fun to watch another up and comer, put the 101st loss on the pale hose !!
I mean you guys didn’t do anything in the games not started by Skubal neither, so why would this be any different? The Tigers staff outside of like 3 guys is a whole bunch of unproven “4-A”, late round pick, career minor leaguer types and the ChiSox made em look like studs
They’ve been using that patchwork all year, and now especially after trading away a very capable starter at the deadline…. And it works pretty well.
Good luck Ty. If you can perform as a pitcher as a certain Tiger Hall of Famer named Ty did as a hitter, you might be able to stick around!
You’re not a good or even great fan, just Ok? =)
Put Javy on the 60 day DL….
How about the 365-day IL, as in buh-bye! Probably next May if he doesn’t turn it around although I have no idea how.
Expectations aren’t very high after posting an ERA of 8 in AAA.
What he did in the beginning of the season is not relevant. They asked him to make changes to increase his K rate and reduce his walk rate. He made those changes and he put up a 2.80 FIP, which is impressive.
Keider Montero, Bryan Sammons, and Brant Hurter are giving Sleve McDichael, Willie Dustice, and Todd Bonzalez vibes
Wow. This is a guy that appears to still need of a lot of work in the minors. Had great seasons in A and AA, but had been a trainwreck in AAA. Not sure why they don’t give that opportunity to someone who is more deserving (like Jobe).
They don’t want to start the clock on him yet I’d assume, although honestly who cares if he can play in the big leagues! They do some odd things with their prospects, some get pushed through and others they hold back with similar numbers in the minors. Hopefully Madden can stick and at least be a serviceable pitcher for next season, even if it’s in the pen.
I don’t think the organization is a service time manipulator (despite what Turnbull would have you believe). If a player can perform and contribute, they’ve always been promoted. I think it has to do with his high school arm and what will almost certainly be a somewhat limited workload while they build him up. No point in promoting him when he’s only going to pitch, say, 20-25 more innings this year. No point in starting the service time for that.
Jobe.
They need to decide if they want to keep Madden or protect another player on the 26 this offseason. He’s made significant changes which drastically improved his recent performance so they’re bringing him up to see how he can work in the show. Jobe still needs a run in AAA before he comes up.
“He has thrown 29 1/3 innings over his last five starts, and while his 5.83 ERA is poor, his strikeout rate is up, his walk rate is down, and his 2.80 FIP represents a massive improvement.”
You should actually read the article instead of just copy/pasting your Hinch/Fetter comments. In the minors players are regularly making changes to improve. That’s why the minors exist.
Jobe will almost assuredly be on the opening day roster for the Tigers; same as Verlander and Porcello who both skipped AAA.
Dan Dickerson said he was having trouble with the automatic strike zone a couple weeks ago. He had like a 3 or 4 start stretch where he was averaging like 4-5 walks in 6 innings. And his strikeouts were less than that. His last two have been much better in that his walks are down, but strikeouts not as high as they once were.
Despite his “troubles”, he really isn’t allowing many runs. So, that’s good.
@troyvan
Jobe needs to build up his innings. Rushing him would be a mistake. He will likely start at AA next year and move to Toledo when he’s ready. I see his arrival in 2026.
Respect for Fredo. I know the shoulder strain of a dad bonding with a newborn. If he’s been struggling at work while he’s been about to become a dad,that can also be understood.
Are you a father, smoke?
A lot to like in his profile. I trust Fetter to get him on track.
Montero and Hurter were having poor seasons at AAA too, albeit not as bad as Madden, and they have both looked pretty decent since coming up. Fetter is a magician. It’d be nice to see Lockhart get a chance too.
Must have been a heavy-ass baby to strain your shoulder in the maternity room
Tigers should absolutely designate Maeda to clear up a roster spot. He is washed. Acknowledge your mistake Scott Harris, pay the guy off to not be here anymore and move on.
Ya wouldn’t it be crazy if someone claimed him
I would. He’s a guy that would be a low risk pickup at the major league minimum. He has a track record of success. He needs to implement a fix and I’m sure there’s several organizations that believe they can fix him.
I see a 60 day for Javy coming, prolonging the agony until next year
If you are trying to sell people on here that Fetter is a problem you have lost your audience. Not every pitcher turns into a star, which you should know being a Ling time fan. You don’t like Harris/Greenberg, you hate Hinch and now Fetter is a problem? Time to up your mess.
I’m surprised you haven’t blocked everyone on here so you can just listen to the sound of your own voice.
It is still possible the Tigers make the playoffs……. the schedule favors them being much closer than they are.
The hitch being they need to test the Rule5 guys to make decisions…..that might cost a couple of games…..
Congratulations Ty Madden!
If they learn how to beat Baltimore, they could really do it.
Study Baltimore!
They should study Baltimore’s hitter development. They’ve produced a bunch of great hitters. Tigers develop better pitching and I don’t know what the O’s GM was thinking at the trade deadline. They actually traded a prospect for Gregory Soto, who immediately gas canned a few games. They’ve also already sent the starter they traded for, Rogers, to AAA because he continued to post the poor numbers he’s posted the last few years.
The Os deadline turned into a dumpster fire except for Eflin. Weird.
The Tigers chances of making the playoffs are about as equal as your hyphenated commentary giving you a chance at being the GM, Dammus. Rub the crystals a little more.
I am now ready to discuss salary.
Tiger followers would probably be thrilled if management sent MaKinstry and Beaz packing and replaced them with a couple of guys from AAA.
I would be. But I just don’t see it happening.
The owner and the leadership will give us a bill of goods about Beaz again next season
Avila left the team and it’s fans with a huge middle finger on that contract. It’s up to Harris to make it walk away.
When he convinces the owner to just walk away from it, he will have my respect.
Harris is already better at trades and that’s sad. A pretty reasonable utility man and scrap for a former all star (only because every team must) who couldn’t throw a strike if his career depended on it…. And someone’s kid…
Next we might be pinening for the mighty Harold Castro to save us…