On June 6, 2025, the Detroit Tigers made a significant roster move by calling up 27-year-old outfielder Jahmai Jones from Triple-A Toledo, while optioning infielder Andy Ibáñez to the Mud Hens. This strategic decision came ahead of a weekend series against the Chicago Cubs at Comerica Park and aims to address Ibáñez's recent struggles against left-handed pitching.
Ibáñez, 32, has been a versatile and valuable player for the Tigers, adept at second and third base and even capable of filling in at shortstop and first base. However, his offensive production against lefties has faltered since July 21, 2024, posting a .200 batting average with just two home runs and a .578 OPS across 136 plate appearances. In his last 14 appearances dating back to May 19, 2025, Ibáñez managed only 4 hits in 29 at-bats, a meager .138 average during that stretch.
Manager A.J. Hinch addressed the situation candidly on June 6, stating, "He's looked off at the plate and hasn't quite been at the level he knows he can get to — and I know he can get to. A stint in Toledo should get him grounded in his approach and get his swing in a good position to come back and help us." Hinch further elaborated on the difficulties Ibáñez faced as a pinch hitter, balancing aggression and patience. "I think Andy, and like a lot of hitters who come off the bench, they tend to have to go one way or the other... If you go auto swing, it can lead to quick at bats or quick 0-1 count," Hinch said. "His pitch selection can be really good; he drew four or five walks as a pinch hitter. Or it can be a little more overaggressive, which we saw yesterday in the game. This move wasn't a reaction to yesterday's game or anything like that, but that was an example of the difficulty coming off the bench and being expected to deliver every time."
Stepping into Ibáñez's role is Jahmai Jones, a right-handed hitter who has been performing well in Triple-A Toledo, hitting .276 with six home runs, 24 walks, and 46 strikeouts in 52 games, resulting in an impressive .875 OPS. Jones has demonstrated versatility in the outfield, starting 18 games in left field, 15 in right field, and 7 in center field. Against right-handed pitchers in Triple-A, he batted .283 with an .876 OPS, and against lefties, .240 with an .867 OPS.
Hinch praised Jones, saying, "He can really hit, and he makes good decisions. He comes with some thump. There's a lot of athleticism and some speed. He fits the exact role that we're going to play him in — help us off the bench and get an occasional start against a left-handed starter." Jones’s role is primarily to provide right-handed power off the bench, balancing the Tigers' left-heavy lineup, especially at the top of the order. Hinch emphasized the strategic importance of Jones's addition: "If you look at how teams manage against us, they generally attack the left-handed side of our team. The right-handed side of our bench is really important." To make room for Jones on the 40-man roster, the Tigers designated outfielder Akil Baddoo for assignment, marking the second time in six months Baddoo has been DFA’d.
Jones brings major league experience, having appeared in 69 MLB games over parts of four seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Brewers, and New York Yankees. He hit .238 with the Yankees in 2024, including a .304 average off lefties with a double, triple, and a home run in 33 games. His first major league home run came on May 12, 2024, against former Tigers left-hander Tyler Alexander, then pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays. Jones's second career MLB homer came on June 6, 2025, a pinch-hit shot that provided a crucial insurance run in the Tigers' 3-1 victory over the Cubs, off Craig Counsell, his former manager with the Brewers in 2023.
Jones’s ties to Detroit run deep. His late father, Andre Jones, played defensive end for the Detroit Lions in 1992, and his brother, T.J. Jones, was a wide receiver for the Lions from 2015 to 2018. Jahmai himself expressed his excitement about joining the Tigers, saying, "Obviously, Detroit's got a special place in my heart just because of the family ties. Being able to do it myself and kind of add to it, it's everything I could ask for." He recalled waking up in Columbus, Ohio, on June 7 and quickly packing before making the three-hour drive to Detroit, where he arrived at Comerica Park around 2:30 p.m. "Once I sat down, I was like, ‘All right, I got everything, got all the necessities. I got my wallet, got my phone, got my keys, got my baseball stuff,’" he said. "Everything else, I'll figure it out later." Jones added, "Being in Toledo, you want everybody to go up at some point and you want 'em to stick. So every time somebody went up, our whole locker room was behind them. Any chance we had to watch a game or any chance that we got updates, everyone's rooting for everybody. So it makes it a lot easier when you go from there to come up here. The goal is the same for everybody. They want to win and if you're here with them tonight, ultimately the goal is to win."
While Jones’s arrival bolsters the Tigers' bench and outfield depth, the team also faces challenges with injuries. Starting pitcher Reese Olson has been on the injured list since May 19 with inflammation in his right ring finger. Although he received an anti-inflammatory injection recently and is scheduled for a bullpen session on June 8, Olson’s recovery is progressing slower than hoped. "It's just a little bit irritated, kind of grabbing in there," Olson said of his changeup grip, a key pitch in his arsenal. "Just kind of tugging a little bit, the last time I threw the changeup. But everything else is feeling great. I think we're on the right track with this injection. We'll kick the rest of it out there and I'll be good to go."
Outfielder Matt Vierling, who started the 2025 season on the injured list with a right rotator cuff injury, recently went on a 10-day IL due to right shoulder inflammation. He is expected to ramp up baseball activities, including throwing and hitting, over the weekend. Similarly, pitcher Alex Cobb, sidelined with right hip inflammation and on the 60-day IL since May 30, made a rehab start for High-A West Michigan on May 30 and threw a bullpen session on June 3. Manager Hinch remains cautiously optimistic about Cobb’s rehab, stating, "We’ve gotta keep pushing forward because he has his good days, he has his bad days... Even if we have to take a half step back and then take two steps forward, that is still progress while we have him working through his rehab assignment."
Looking ahead to the Tigers’ upcoming series against the Cubs, the pitching matchup features Tigers right-hander Keider Montero, who has been a reliable sixth man in the rotation with a 2-1 record and a 4.02 ERA, and Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon, who sports a 5-3 record but a lofty 7.76 ERA, having given up a league-leading 16 home runs in 2025. Montero’s fastball-offspeed mix has provided quality innings for Detroit, especially with Olson and Jackson Jobe sidelined.
In sum, the Tigers’ decision to bring up Jahmai Jones while sending Andy Ibáñez to Triple-A Toledo reflects a tactical move to strengthen their bench with a right-handed bat capable of delivering against left-handed pitching. Jones’s family legacy in Detroit sports adds an emotional layer to his call-up, while the team navigates injury setbacks and prepares for a critical stretch in the season. As the action unfolds at Comerica Park, Tigers fans will be watching closely to see how these roster moves impact the team’s pursuit of continued success in the American League.
