The Detroit Tigers received some bad injury news recently when they learned that starting pitcher Reese Olson was going to miss the rest of the season with a shoulder strain. Olson was an integral part of the rotation, and the team had already dealt with a lot of difficult injury news regarding pitchers this season. Losing Olson is a tough blow, but he revealed on Monday that there is actually a chance that he returns during the postseason.
Reese Olson isn't going to play for the remainder of the regular season, but if the Tigers make the playoffs, he might be good to go. Olson shared on Monday that he is not going to need surgery, so there is a chance that he is able to make a return in October.
“Tigers RHP Reese Olson, on the IL with a shoulder strain, said he recently received good news that leads him to believe postseason availability is still possible,” Evan Woodbery said in a post. “He won't have to undergo surgery.”
The Tigers have been one of the best teams in baseball all year long, and they have their sights set on a deep run in the playoffs. If that happens, it sounds like Olson might be good to go.
“Hopefully, the boys make a deep run into October and I can contribute at some point,” Olson said. “I think that's the idea everyone has right now.”
Right now, Detroit is in first place in the AL Central with a 65-48 record. The team has a healthy eight-game lead over the second place Cleveland Guardians, but that lead has been trimmed in half in the last month. The Tigers need to keep their foot on the gas pedal down the stretch to make sure that they don't surrender this massive advantage in the division.
Pitching is definitely the concern for the Tigers right now, specifically with the bullpen. The starting rotation is beaten up, but it has been holding its own. The bullpen needs to perform better down the stretch if the Tigers want to achieve their lofty goals for this season.