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Former Detroit Tigers pitcher Matt Manning will miss the entire 2026 season following Tommy John surgery.
Matt Manning’s first season in Korea is over before it began.
The former Detroit Tiger pitcher, who signed a $1 million deal with the Samsung Lions in November, will miss the 2026 season due to Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.
Manning, 28, went 11-15 with a 4.43 ERA in four seasons with the Tigers (2021-24). His time with the organization ended last July when he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for minor-league outfielder Josueth Quinonez.
Manning Was the Tigers’ No. 1 Prospect in 2017
Drafted out of high school with the No. 9 overall pick in 2016, Manning was a consensus top-100 prospect for five consecutive seasons. He ranked as highly as the Tigers’ No. 1 prospect in 2017, according to MLB Pipeline.
Manning debuted with Detroit in 2021 and made 18 starts, going 4-7 with a 5.80 ERA. Despite showing promise each of the next two seasons, producing back-to-back sub-3.60 ERAs, the right-hander never stuck in the rotation.
He spent all last season with Triple-A Toledo. In 31 appearances (four starts), Manning had a 6.04 ERA with 52 strikeouts and 37 walks in 50.2 innings.
Manning Has Long List of Injuries
Injuries have been a recurring issue for Manning over the past five years, a stretch in which he’s made just 50 big-league appearances.
In 2022, Manning was limited to 12 starts with right shoulder inflammation. The following season, he made just 15 starts after fracturing his right foot on two different occasions.
Manning was optioned to Triple-A to begin the 2025 season. After struggling mightily out of the bullpen, Detroit designated him for assignment on July 31 as part of the Paul Sewald trade. Following the season, Manning elected free agency.
Hoping to rejuvenate his career, Manning inked a one-year deal in the Korean Baseball Organization this offseason. But now, he’ll miss all of 2026 and likely a portion of 2027 as he recovers from his latest setback.