The Detroit Tigers bullpen took another hit Wednesday. Hours before first pitch against the New York Yankees, the club announced Will Vest is heading to the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. The move is retroactive to June 28.
Vest has been a reliable arm out of the bullpen for six seasons in the majors, but 2026 hasn’t been kind to him. Through 26.2 innings, the 31-year-old right-hander owns a 6.08 ERA and a 1.425 WHIP with 27 strikeouts. That’s the worst stretch of his career since he broke in with Seattle back in 2021.
Brieske Gets the Call
To fill Vest’s spot, the Tigers are bringing up right-hander Beau Brieske from Triple-A Toledo. Brieske is a five-year veteran but he’s had a rough go of it this season. In four appearances totaling 4.1 innings, he’s got a 12.46 ERA and a 2.308 WHIP with four strikeouts. Those numbers are ugly no matter how you look at them.
The team didn’t offer much beyond the basic announcement. “The Tigers today placed RHP Will Vest on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to June 28) with posterior right elbow inflammation,” the statement read. “RHP Beau Brieske has been recalled from Triple-A Toledo.”
Stacking Up on the IL
Detroit now has six players on the injured list. Three of them are relievers. That’s a problem for a bullpen that was already trying to find its footing. Manager AJ Hinch is going to have to get creative, especially with Tarik Skubal back in the rotation and the club trying to manage workloads down the stretch.
The Tigers didn’t announce a timeline for Vest’s return. Elbow inflammation can be tricky. Sometimes it’s a quick two-week thing. Sometimes it’s not. For now, the team is hoping the retroactive date gives them some flexibility, and that Brieske can find something resembling his old form.
But given how this bullpen has looked lately, nobody in Detroit is breathing easy.
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