Jim Duquette: Detroit Tigers need upgrades at 2025 trade deadline
Former MLB general manager Jim Duquette from MLB Network Radio joins “Days of Roar” with trade options for the Detroit Tigers at the July 31 deadline.
Troy Melton made his MLB debut for the Detroit Tigers, starting against the Pittsburgh Pirates.Melton gave up six runs in the first three innings but finished strong with two scoreless innings and five strikeouts.Despite the loss, the Tigers manager A.J. Hinch was encouraged by Melton’s performance and expects him to learn from the experience.
The Detroit Tigers didn’t let Troy Melton get on the bus.
The 24-year-old right-hander expected to board the Triple-A Toledo bus to Indianapolis on Monday, July 21, but assistant general manager Ryan Garko had other plans. Instead of the bus, Garko told Melton to catch a flight to Pittsburgh.
That’s how Melton found out he was being called up by the Tigers for his MLB debut – as the starting pitcher Wednesday, July 23, against the Pirates at PNC Park.
“I got a call from Ryan Garko, and he said, ‘Don’t get on that bus. You’re getting on a flight instead,'” Melton said after Wednesday’s start. “Obviously, that’s a better alternative for me. It was an exciting day.”
In Wednesday’s start, Melton allowed six runs on seven hits and two walks with seven strikeouts across five innings, throwing 60 of 90 pitches for strikes.
The box score didn’t tell the full story.
It was a successful MLB debut.
“My expectations are for him to settle in now and learn,” manager A.J. Hinch said after Wednesday’s 6-1 loss to the Pirates. “He should take away that he’s a big leaguer forever. It was a rough start to his career. But a lot of prime, too.”
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The Pirates attacked him early, scoring all six runs in the first three innings — powered by a solo home run from Andrew McCutchen and a grand slam from Spencer Horwitz.
But Melton didn’t fold.
He struck out five batters across his final two innings, both scoreless.
Melton overcame the challenge.
“Once you get punched in the face, all you’re trying to do is eat innings and make sure you’re not putting your team behind the eight-ball for the rest of the week,” Melton said. “All I was trying to do was make pitches and get quick outs, and if that translated to strikeouts at the end there, that’s a bonus, but I’m just trying to get outs at that point.”
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Before his MLB debut, Melton posted a 2.99 ERA in 18 games (16 starts) for Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo this season: a 3.23 ERA in 10 starts with the SeaWolves and a 2.72 ERA in eight games (six starts) with the Mud Hens.
His performance at the Triple-A level included a 6.1% walk rate and 37.8% strikeout rate, both significantly better than the average Triple-A pitcher.
He threw strikes at an above-average rate.
“A lot of it for me is always going to be pitch execution,” said Melton, who had a 66.6% strike rate in Toledo. “I think that’s the name of the game for every pitch — making sure that I’m making the right pitches at the right time. I think that’s where I got away from myself in the same inning. You have to make pitches and get outs.”
Facing the Pirates, Melton needed 28 pitches — throwing just 57.1% strikes — to complete a four-run second inning. He allowed one single, two walks and one grand slam.
He walked Tommy Pham on eight pitches.
He then walked Joey Bart on five pitches.
With two outs, the left-handed hitting Horwitz made Melton pay for his previous mistakes by crushing a down-and-away cutter — too close to the middle of the strike zone — for a grand slam to center, extending the Pirates’ lead to 5-0.
“That’s baseball at every level,” Melton said. “Making sure I’m attacking and not making it harder for myself, that’s my biggest takeaway.”
In Triple-A, left-handed hitters had a .278 batting average and .494 slugging percentage, while right-handed hitters had a .186 batting average and a .322 slugging percentage.
His ability to get outs against lefties will be something to monitor moving forward.
“It’s important for him to take a deep breath after a really emotional, important day for him — something that he’s earned,” Hinch said. “I think he’s a very calm pitcher. He’s emotional enough because he’s excitable and wants to do well.”
Melton didn’t have prefect results in his MLB debut, but he has a foundation to build on with a rocky start and a strong finish — and the first one out of the way.
He is the Tigers’ No. 6 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.
“You’re nervous,” Melton said, reflecting on his emotions. “When you’re out there, it’s a baseball game like you’ve played since you were a little kid. I wish it went better, obviously. But it was the first one. I had a good time.”
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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