Detroit Tigers Workhorse Reliever Posting Eye-Popping Numbers
All the talk when it comes to Detroit Tigers pitching is Tarik Skubal, who is a Cy Young award candidate. Rightly so, he’s having a fantastic season.
But some of that love should be spread to left-handed reliever Tyler Holton, who has carved out a place among the best in baseball when it comes to relief.
On Tuesday against Seattle he pitched to just one hitter, but he recorded a strikeout and helped preserve a 4-2 win. It also cemented his standing as one of the game’s most reliable relievers.
He’s made 113 MLB appearances and among pitchers with at least 100 appearances, he has the lowest WHIP (0.85) and OBP allowed (.233).
Make that 22 IP with 0️⃣ runs allowed for Tyler Holton 😮💨
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) August 7, 2024
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On top of that, he’s among the leaders in other categories like OPS allowed (third, .527), walk rate (fourth, 5.3%), ERA (seventh, 2.36) and batting average against (eighth, .183).
With that quality, the Tigers are reliant on the 28-year-old. Of the 73 pitchers that have appeared in at least 100 games since the start of the 2023 season he has thrown more innings (149) and faced more hitters (569).
For the season he is 4-1 with a 2.69 ERA in 44 games (including five starts). He’s posted four saves in 63.2 innings. He has struck out 51 and walked 12.
Holton figures to be with Detroit for a while. He is not arbitration-eligible until 2026 and is not eligible for free agency until 2029.
He pitched his first full Major League season with the Tigers in 2023, as he went 3-2 with a 2.11 ERA in 59 games (including one start). He threw 85.1 innings, recorded one save, struck out 74 and walked 18.
Holton joined Detroit before that season, as he was claimed off waivers when the Arizona Diamondbacks designated him for assignment. Ironically, he was DFA’ed by the Diamondbacks after they signed reliever Andrew Chafin. He re-joined the Tigers in 2024 and was traded to the Texas Rangers at the deadline.
The Tallahassee, Fla., native played college baseball for Florida State but tore the UCL in his elbow in 2018 before Arizona drafted him in the ninth round of that year’s MLB Draft. He didn’t make his professional debut until 2019 and eventually worked up to his MLB debut with the Diamondbacks in 2022.
With Arizona he did not figure in a decision in 10 appearances, as he finished with a 3.00 ERA, six strikeouts and two walks in nine innings.
MATT POSTINS