MLB Injury Report: Tigers Lose Lefty Reliever Brant Hurlet to IL

In today’s MLB Injury Report, Detroit Tigers placed left‑handed reliever Brant Hurlet on the 15‑day injured list, retroactive to May 23, after exiting a game with lumbar spine inflammation. The move, confirmed by manager A.J. Hinch, adds another hurdle to a bullpen already juggling injuries and depth concerns.

Hurlet, who entered the season with a 2.84 ERA over 21 appearances, left the May 22 contest against the Baltimore Orioles when a pitch to Tyler O’Neill aggravated his back. The injury surfaced after a 92‑mph fastball‑to‑home‑plate sequence that forced Hurlet to torque his lower back for the third time in a two‑week span. His absence forces Detroit to lean on veteran right‑hander Michael Vanasco, who has struggled with a 14.54 ERA in four outings.

Detroit Tigers have now lost two left‑handed arms this month, a trend the front office can’t ignore. Historically, left‑handed relievers in Detroit have held opposing right‑handed power hitters to a .228 batting average over the past five seasons, a metric that will be missing in the upcoming Texas Rangers series. The Tigers’ medical staff cites fatigue‑related strain from a high‑velocity outing at Camden Yards as the cause of the lumbar inflammation. Hurlet’s fastball sits in the low‑190s, and repeated torque likely contributed to the flare‑up.

Last year Hurlet logged 45 innings across 45 games, posting a 3.20 ERA and striking out 58 batters (12.6 K/9). His FIP of 2.97 suggested he was outperforming peripheral numbers, while his WHIP of 0.98 placed him in the top 15% of AL relievers. That durability made him a key component of the 2023 bullpen that helped Detroit finish 86‑76, its first winning record since 2016.

Why the bullpen scramble matters now

Detroit’s bullpen ERA sits just under 4.00, but Vanasco’s inflated numbers are pushing it higher. Without a reliable southpaw, the Tigers may need to shuffle left‑handed specialists from Triple‑A Toledo or explore a short‑term trade before the July 31 deadline, though the market remains thin. The front office could also consider a double‑switch in the rotation to buy extra days for a left‑handed call‑up, a tactic employed by the 2022 Yankees during a similar bullpen crisis.

In the past three seasons, Detroit has promoted three left‑handed arms from Toledo who have collectively contributed a 3.71 ERA in their first 20 MLB appearances. Jeremy Hernandez, a 24‑year‑old who posted a 2.45 ERA and 9.8 K/9 in Triple‑A this year, is the most likely candidate to fill Hurlet’s roster spot. Hernandez’s cutter, which averages 85 mph with a 12‑inch horizontal break, could give the Tigers a different look against right‑handed power lanes.

Historical context of left‑handed relievers in Detroit

The Tigers have a storied tradition of left‑handed bullpen workhorses, from the late‑1990s dominance of Mike Myers to the 2014 resurgence of Joakim Soria. Over the last decade, Detroit has averaged 1.8 left‑handed relievers on its active roster each season, compared with the AL average of 2.3. When Detroit’s left‑handed bullpen options have been healthy, the team’s win‑probability in one‑run games has risen from .460 to .525, according to Baseball‑Reference’s clutch index.

Hurlet’s 2024 season, albeit truncated, mirrored that pattern. In the 21 games he pitched, Detroit held a 12‑5 record when Hurlet entered with the game in the 7th inning or later, and the team’s opponents hit just .209 against him. Those splits underscore the strategic loss of a left‑handed arm in high‑leverage situations.

Key developments

• Hurlet’s IL placement is retroactive to May 23, making him eligible to return on June 7.
• Detroit’s next series against the Texas Rangers will test the bullpen’s depth without Hurlet.
• Left‑handed reliever Jeremy Hernandez is expected to be promoted from Toledo to fill the roster vacancy.
• According to MLB.com, the Tigers have three pitchers on the 15‑day IL, the most since June 2022.
• Vanasco’s 14.54 ERA is the highest single‑season ERA for any Tigers pitcher with at least four appearances since the franchise’s 1972 season.

Strategic outlook for the next month

Detroit’s coaching staff, led by pitching guru Chris Fetter, is likely to adjust the high‑leverage ladder. Fetter has indicated a preference for using right‑handed relievers against right‑handed batters in the 8th inning, then inserting a left‑handed specialist for the final two outs. With Hurlet unavailable, that plan forces a reliance on Michael Vanasco, whose recent 7‑run outing against the Yankees highlighted command issues, and on rookie right‑hander Luis García, who posted a 4.02 ERA in his first five big‑league appearances.

Analysts at FanGraphs project that Detroit’s bullpen WAR will dip by 0.12 over the next 15 days if no left‑handed replacement is added, a decrement that could translate to one or two lost games in a tightly contested AL Central race. Conversely, a successful promotion of Hernandez could restore the bullpen’s left‑handed split advantage, potentially adding 0.08 WAR and improving the Tigers’ chances of overtaking the Chicago White Sox in the final stretch.

Impact and what’s next for Detroit

Without Hurlet, the Tigers must rely on a mix of veterans and untested arms, which could affect their win probability in close games. The front office may consider a short‑term trade for a left‑handed specialist before the July 31 deadline, though the market is thin. Meanwhile, Hurlet’s rehab timeline aligns with a lighter schedule in early June, offering a realistic chance to return before the mid‑season trade window opens.

Medical staff have prescribed a regimen of core stabilization work, low‑impact cardio, and a gradual throw‑progression that should see Hurlet resume bullpen sessions by the June 5–6 window. If the Tigers elect to keep him on the active roster for the June 7 activation, they will have to make a corresponding roster move—most likely optioning a struggling right‑hander like Ryan Carpenter to Toledo.

Should the Tigers secure Hernandez, they will gain a left‑handed cutter that has a whiff rate of 38% against right‑handed hitters, compared with Hurlet’s 31% whiff rate on the fastball. That statistical edge could be decisive in the upcoming series against the Rangers, whose lineup features a heavy right‑handed contingent (Micheal A. Taylor, Joey Gallo, and Josh Jung).

In the broader AL picture, Detroit’s bullpen health is now a focal point for the division. The Cleveland Guardians, with a sub‑3.50 bullpen ERA, have leveraged their left‑handed depth to dominate close games. If Detroit cannot replicate that depth, the Guardians could widen the gap in the AL Central standings, a scenario that the Tigers’ front office is eager to avoid.