DETROIT — Detroit Tigers reliever Will Vest left Sunday’s game with an apparent injury after throwing a wild pitch during a crucial eighth inning in the team’s 8-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds at Comerica Park.
Vest was slow to cover home plate after the ball sailed over catcher Dillon Dingler’s glove, allowing a run to score. Shortly after, Dingler, manager A.J. Hinch, and assistant athletic trainer Chris McDonald came out to examine him.
“He said he was feeling something in his pinky,” Hinch explained. “It was bothering him, so we pulled him. He’ll undergo a full evaluation with several tests. Right now, we don’t know exactly what it is.”
Vest was not available to reporters after the game but, through a team representative, indicated that he plans to speak on Tuesday once testing is complete and he has more information.
Sunday’s outing marked Vest’s first loss of the season. Entering the game, he held a 5-0 record with a 1.83 ERA over 34 1/3 innings.
The 30-year-old was drafted by the Tigers out of Stephen F. Austin University in the 12th round of the 2017 draft. He was later selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 2021 Rule 5 Draft but returned to Detroit that same season. Since then, Vest has become a key piece in the Tigers’ bullpen, taking on more late-inning duties this year.
Often sharing closing responsibilities with veteran Tommy Kahnle, Vest has notched 12 saves in 2025, after recording two saves in both 2023 and 2024.
Detroit’s bullpen has already undergone changes recently, with Beau Brieske being optioned to Toledo on Thursday and John Brebbia designated for assignment on Saturday.
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