Tigers Reinstate Paddack; Malloy Optioned to Toledo

DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers reinstated right-handed pitcher Chris Paddack from the bereavement list before Saturday’s game against the Chicago White Sox. In a corresponding move, infielder/outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy was optioned to Triple-A Toledo.

Paddack, who was acquired from the Minnesota Twins at the trade deadline, has struggled after a series of poor starts. In his first relief appearance since 2023, he gave up six runs on eight hits in just 1 1/3 innings on Tuesday. Following that game, he revealed that he would take a three-day break to reset. “Hopefully that is a little reset for me to be able to go back home and hug the loved ones,” said Paddack, becoming emotional. “The reason I play this game is for them.”

Justyn-Henry Malloy was initially recalled from Triple-A Toledo when rosters expanded on September 1, but he spent only five days with the major league team. During his time with the Tigers, he went 1-for-2 with an RBI double. The 25-year-old infielder has performed well with the Mud Hens, boasting a .317 batting average and .934 OPS in 304 plate appearances, including eight home runs and 18 doubles.

The Tigers opted to retain shortstop Trey Sweeney as an extra position player, as Malloy’s role largely overlaps with Jahmai Jones, who has been effective as a right-handed bench bat. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch commented on Malloy’s situation, saying, “I told J-Hen it’s tough luck for him with how the roster is right now. We tried to show him that we believe in him. We’ll see what happens the rest of this month. There’s a lot of baseball left to play.”

Hinch emphasized the need to keep Malloy mentally ready, stating, “We’ve got to make sure we keep him ready, and he’s fully committed to do that.” As of now, both clubs in the Tigers’ 40-man roster face challenges with injuries, affecting their overall strategy for the rest of the season.