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Recent Woes Aside, Troy Melton Is Tigers’ Future Ace
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- Recent Woes Aside, Troy Melton Is Tigers’ Future Ace
Recent Woes Aside, Troy Melton Is Tigers’ Future Ace
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Tuesday evening, Troy Melton took the bump for the Detroit Tigers and produced the worst game of his 2026 season, allowing five earned runs, a season high, along with seven total runs, another season high.
In fact, over his last four games, Melton has allowed 13 earned runs and is now on a four-game losing streak. However, it is not all Melton's fault. So, let's take a look at how the young right-hander has been doing.
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Melton has allowed two or more earned runs in four straight games for the first time this season. Before this stretch, he had allowed two earned runs in back-to-back games just once, and that came on June 3 and June 9.
Is Melton Showing Signs of Fatigue?
Melton's velocity and command seem to be dropping as the end of the season nears.
Melton has now gone four consecutive games without striking out five or more batters. In fact, he has struck out five or more batters just once in his last six outings.
Prior to that stretch, Melton had struck out five or more batters in nine consecutive starts dating back to his first two starts of the year in May.
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That is certainly something worth watching as the Tigers finish out the 2026 season.
Melton Has Been Thrust Into a Bigger Role
The Tigers traded away Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize at the 2026 trade deadline in part because the two would most likely not be returning to Detroit. Scott Harris, the Tigers' general manager, wanted to recoup whatever return on investment he could.
However, the other part of the equation was Melton.
The way Melton was pitching, he had already established himself as a solid middle-of-the-rotation starter. After the trade deadline, though, he was suddenly moved into a much bigger role and elevated to ace material.
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Ever since then, things have gone sour for Melton.
But that does not mean Melton has suddenly become a bad pitcher.
He still continues to put up good numbers. Allowing two or three earned runs over five to seven innings will normally put a pitcher in position to earn a win or, at worst, a no-decision.
Unfortunately for Melton, the Tigers' putrid hitting has turned good outings into four consecutive losses.
Melton Needs to Embrace the Pressure
Melton is one calm, cool and collected pitcher who does not allow the uncontrollable aspects of the game to control him.
However, Melton does have to understand that he has been put into a role with big shoes to fill.
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As the Tigers' new ace, Melton will need to demand excellence from himself next year and every year after.
That should not be difficult for him.
With his velocity and movement, Melton is already being compared to pitchers such as Drew Rasmussen, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jacob deGrom, Jack Leiter and Jake Perkins.
Melton's Stuff Remains Impressive
Melton relies on his four-seamer, which averages around 97.6 mph. He throws it 33% of the time overall, using it 37% against left-handed hitters and 27% against right-handed hitters.
Overall, Melton has improved his quality of contact allowed.
Batters are hitting under the ball 29% of the time, a 3% increase from last year. His barrel percentage has also drastically decreased, dropping from 13% last year to 5% this year.
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Those are encouraging signs for a pitcher who is still only 25 years old.
Melton Should Remain the Tigers' Ace
Melton is just 25 years old and has a high-expectation career ahead of him as he continues to establish himself as a solid major-league pitcher.
It does seem like we are getting into a fight with stamina toward the end of the season, though.
That is something the Tigers and Melton will have to monitor, especially with the increased workload and responsibility that has been placed on his shoulders.
But one rough stretch should not erase everything Melton has accomplished this season.
The Tigers traded away two of their established starting pitchers at the deadline, and Melton has been asked to step into a role that comes with significantly more pressure.
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He has struggled recently, but that does not change what he can become.
Let's get through the rest of the season, allow Melton to learn from this stretch and see what he can do with a full offseason to prepare for his new role.
When the 2027 season arrives, Troy Melton should still be the Tigers' ace.
