TL;DR
Manager A.J. Hinch confirmed Tuesday that Tigers reliever Jason Foley will miss the rest of 2025 after undergoing right-shoulder surgery. Detroit loses last season’s saves leader just weeks after demoting him to Triple-A Toledo.
Jason Foley had season-ending shoulder surgery, A.J. Hinch announced today
— Cody Stavenhagen (@CodyStavenhagen) May 13, 2025
How We Got Here
Foley opened 2024 as Detroit’s closer and logged 28 saves with a 3.15 ERA. A rocky spring (6.14 ERA) led to a surprise option to Toledo on March 25. After five scoreless Triple-A outings, he exited an April 12 appearance with shoulder discomfort, landed on the IL, and now faces a 9-to-12-month rehab.
“He’s going to want to forget 2025 because he very much was going to be a part of this season,” manager A.J. Hinch said Tuesday. “I love him as a competitor and know he will attack this rehab.”
Detroit Tigers Manager – AJ Hinch
Impact on the 2025 Bullpen
Closer committee: Alex Lange and Will Vest are the logical ninth-inning pair; each owns a sub-3.00 ERA in May.
40-man spot opens: Detroit can select hard-throwing RHP Keider Montero (0.89 ERA at Toledo) without a DFA crunch.
Payroll note: Foley earns $3.15 M while rehabbing; insurance covers roughly 75 percent of that figure.
Red-Flag History
Foley missed 2018 after Tommy John surgery and has become the third Tiger pitcher since 2020 to undergo a major shoulder procedure, joining Spencer Turnbull and José Cisnero. The recurrence raises questions about Detroit’s throwing program tweaks this spring.
Key Takeaways
Detroit loses its 2024 saves leader and bullpen workhorse.
Alex Lange and Will Vest slide into late-inning leverage, with rookie Keider Montero a call-up candidate.
Shoulder rehabs often exceed 10 months, putting Foley’s 2026 Opening Day in doubt.
Bottom Line
Foley’s surgery removes a high-velocity safety net from a staff already leaning on young starters. Expect President Scott Harris to explore veteran relief depth before the July deadline.
Sources: MLB.com clubhouse transcript, Cody Stavenhagen (The Athletic) reporting, FanGraphs. Drafted with AI assistance and fact-checked by DSN editorial staff.