CHICAGO – Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Troy Melton was removed from the Tigers' game against the Chicago White Sox with an apparent injury on Sunday, Sept.20.
In the fourth inning, the game was stopped as Tigers pitching coach Chris Fetter went out to the mound. Fetter was soon followed by Tigers manager A.J. Hinch and a trainer. Melton then was taken out with the White Sox holding a 3-0 lead, although Melton showed no signs of injury. Tyler Holton was brought in.
Melton threw 3⅔ innings, giving up four hits and four runs. He struck out four while walking three.
Melton, 25, was diagnosed in late February with right elbow inflammation. He went on the 60-day injured
list and returned to action May 24.
“I feel really good,” Melton said Saturday. “Honestly, like health-wise, it's been a really good year for me. Obviously, I started hurt, but even throughout my rehab process, I never really felt like I was injured. I was just kind of building back up. So health-wise, it's been great for me this year. ... It's been really good.
He carried an impressive stat into this game. He had a 2.60 ERA in his first 23 career starts dating to July 2025, the lowest ERA by a Tiger pitcher in his first 23 starts since Mark Fidrych in 1976 (2.37 ERA).
But he learned some important lessons over his last few starts.
“When I try too hard, it's usually the wrong direction,” he said on Saturday. “So just kind of being out there and being myself and slowing the game down a little bit better and really like obviously one of these games and I want to win every game of pitching, but not making it too much pressure, too big of a deal. I think that's something I've kind of gotten away from.”
Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on X @seideljeff.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Troy Melton injury update as Tigers RHP exits early vs White Sox
