Along with pitcher River Ryan, infielder Jace Jung has been called up for the final week of the Detroit Tigers' 2026 season.
Ryan and Jung were recalled from Triple-A Toledo on Monday, Sept. 21, to replace, respectively, Troy Melton and Colt Keith. Keith was placed on the 10-day injured list, while Melton went to the 15-day IL, ending their 2026 seasons; the Tigers' final game is scheduled for Sunday.
Melton was placed on the IL with right arm fatigue, while Keith was reported as suffering a left thumb sprain (with his IL stint retroactive to Sept. 20). Melton reported "general tightness and soreness" in his right forearm after being pulled from Sunday's start in the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox.
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"It's just general tightness and soreness," Melton told reporters Sunday in Chicago. "There are days where you get twinges like that, and it goes away. You don't think about it again. Then you do some work on it, and it's gone. It just never went away.”
Ryan, 28, was set to make his Tigers debut on Monday against the Washington Nationals after joining the organization as part of the trade deadline package received from the LA Dodgers for left-hander Tarik Skubal on Aug. 1.
He pitched two rehab outings for Triple-A Toledo before being called up for his first start with Detroit. Ryan, an 11th-round pick in 2021, returns to the majors for the first time since 2024, when he went 1-0 with a 1.33 ERA in four starts with LA, allowing only three runs with 18 strikeouts in 20⅓ innings.
Ryan underwent Tommy John surgery, which caused him to miss time in 2024 and all of the 2025 season. He has thrown 4⅔ innings with Toledo since coming back from a hamstring injury.
What are the Tigers expecting from Ryan?
"Getting through the emotions of the newness of this will be key," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. "It's just strikes. Obviously, he needs quality strikes."
Ryan is expected to have a short outing, while fellow righty Keider Montero will be available as another option to handle multiple innings on Monday. Ryan is also expected to pitch in the season finale on Sunday, Sept. 27.
"For him, if we see him be himself and feature his stuff, get us some outs, whether that is one time through the order or more, that would be an ideal setup, given the journey he's been on this year."
Jung was called up to replace Keith, who has been dealing with a thumb injury since a loss to Chicago on Saturday.
Jung, the Tigers' first-round pick in 2022 (at No. 12 overall out of Texas Tech) has spent most of this season in Triple-A, with eight at-bats over three games with the Tigers. Jung hit .227 with 22 home runs and 86 RBIs in 475 at-bats with Toledo this season, his third straight with some time with the Mud Hens.
"He has always found a way to contribute in one way or another around the field," Hinch said. "That is going to be important in this last week."
Detroit (73-83) is prioritizing playing younger players after officially being eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday.
"We are playing to get some more experience for the younger side of our roster," Hinch said.
ContactJared Ramsey at jramsey@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Colt Keith injury update: INF Jace Jung gets callup from Tigers
