Although Troy Melton's relegation to a long relief role out of the Tigers' bullpen was questionable at the time, there's no question that he'll get more opportunities as a starter in 2026. He had a rocky MLB debut that had fans worried, but followed it up with a scoreless seven-inning outing against the Diamondbacks. He was pushed to the bullpen after Detroit acquired two starters at the trade deadline, but both Chris Paddack and Charlie Morton will be free agents when the season's over.
The Tigers shifted course, though, giving Melton the start on Wednesday against the White Sox in what was a 1-0 victory for Detroit.