Detroit Tigers' Troy Melton stranger to bullpen but embraces new role after trade deadline
Detroit Tigers right-hander Troy Melton is a starting pitcher.
Just not right now.
The Tigers moved Melton — a 24-year-old rookie who has started both games in his MLB career — to the bullpen after acquiring 41-year-old starter Charlie Morton from the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday, July 31, in the final minutes before the trade deadline.
"I'm excited to just be here," Melton said Friday, Aug. 1, his first day as a reliever. "I don't really care too much what the role is. If I can help the team out, I'm ready to do that however I can."
Melton is a stranger to the bullpen.
But he's not uncomfortable.
"It's definitely different," Melton said, "but nothing I haven't done before."
Melton has made 63 of his 66 professional appearances as a starter since the Tigers selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 draft from San Diego State. His only relief outings: four innings for High-A West Michigan in June 2023, 4⅓ innings for Triple-A Toledo in June 2025 and four more innings for the Mud Hens in July 2025.
He also made brief relief appearances in the Spring Breakout games. In 2024, he pitched the seventh and eighth innings against Philadelphia Phillies prospects; in 2025, he pitched the eighth inning against Atlanta Braves prospects.
Troy Melton not fazed
Melton already knows the difference between the roles.
"For me, it's the waiting around before the game," Melton said. "As a starter, you get your natural progression into things. Out of the bullpen, you get the phone call, and you're told to get ready. Once you're on the mound, it's just getting outs."
Since joining the Tigers, Melton has a 4.50 ERA with two walks and 12 strikeouts across 12 innings in two starts. His fastball averages 97.1 mph, and his slider generates a 41.4% whiff rate. He also throws a sinker, cutter, curveball and splitter to complete his six-pitch mix.
The big concern: MLB hitters have averaged a 95.1 mph exit velocity against him — well above the league average of 89.4 mph. In Triple-A Toledo, opponents averaged 93.6 mph, also significantly higher than the Triple-A average of 88.4 mph.
When he gets hit, he gets hit for hard contact.
"My takeaways are what they've always been and what they're always going to be," Melton said. "If you make good pitches, it doesn't really matter who's hitting. I'm good enough to get outs. It's making sure I'm executing at a high level. Just make pitches and get outs."
The Morton trade sent Melton to the bullpen.
"He's going to help us immediately," president of baseball operations Scott Harris said after Thursday's trade deadline. "We realized that one of our better relievers might be Troy Melton, and we should give him a chance to be there."
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The Tigers will use Melton as the right-handed version of left-handed reliever Brant Hurter, also an ex-starter. There will be short outings and long outings — and everything in between. The Tigers expect Melton to be a swing-and-miss weapon as a right-handed reliever against right-handed hitters, especially since he struggles against left-handed hitters.
Expect to see Melton in the bullpen in October.
"We can be creative with him," manager A.J. Hinch said before Friday's game. "Bring your best stuff and give me everything you have while I leave you in the game. It'll be a new experience for him, but it's high octane stuff at any point that I bring him in, and he'll get as many outs as he can."
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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