Tigers' Melton, Keith head to IL as season winds down

As the Detroit Tigers season comes to a close, two key starters, Troy Melton and Colt Keith, have been placed on the injured list. The Tigers announced that Melton and Keith will be heading to the IL, bringing an end to their respective seasons. With just six games remaining, the Tigers made room for outfielders Jace Jung and River Ryan by sending Melton and Keith to the 15-day and 10-day injured lists, respectively.

Troy Melton has been dealing with right arm fatigue since his performance against the White Sox on Sunday. In that game, Melton left the mound after throwing 87 pitches over 3.2 innings, resulting in a loss as he allowed four runs. His second season in the majors ended with an 8-5 record, a 2.76 ERA, and 94 strikeouts. However, in the final two months, Melton's effectiveness waned, going 2-4 while allowing 17 runs in 17 innings pitched.

Colt Keith's season concluded with a left thumb sprain, which had been troubling him for a few weeks. Keith, who spanned 140 games playing primarily at first base, third base, and designated hitter, ended his third season with a .258/.322/.406 batting average. His offensive production took a significant hit, dropping from 110 home runs in 2024 to just 10 in 2026, while his strikeout rate also decreased from 110 in 2024 to 84 in 2026.