Tigers make roster move to clear space for Tuesday's starter against Mets

Douglas Santo

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Tigers make roster move to clear space for Tuesday's starter against Mets image

Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers made a roster move on Tuesday morning by optioning right-handed reliever Chase Lee to Triple-A Toledo to make room for Sawyer Gipson Long, according to Detroit News' Chris McCosky.

Gipson-Long will start on Tuesday night as the Tigers play the second of three games against the New York Mets. Manager AJ Hinch also said on MLB radio that it won't be Gipson-Long's only appearance. The 27-year old will get either another start or a bulk bullpen outing against the New York Yankees next week.

As for Lee, the Tigers called up the former Alabama closer for the fourth time this season on Sept. 1, when rosters expanded. However, now he'll head back to Toledo to make space for Detroit's Tuesday night starter.

Sawyer Gipson-Long Will Start Tuesday Night

Gipson-Long was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the sixth round of the 2019 MLB June Amateur draft out of Mercer University. The Tigers traded pitcher Michael Fulmer for Gipson-Long in 2022, and he's been with Detroit ever since.

However, the right-hander has dealt with multiple injuries in the last couple of years. Gipson-Long missed the entire 2024 season after having a left hip labral repair and Tommy John surgery.

After recovering from both injuries, the Tigers' pitcher made his 2025 debut on June 4, but lasted just five games before suffering another injury. This time, Gipson-Long was placed on the 15-day IL with neck stiffness.

He returned in the middle of August and has been pitching at Triple-A Toledo, but now he'll get to make his seventh appearance, and third start of the season with the Tigers.

At the major-league level, Gipson-Long has pitched to a 4.32 ERA across 25 innings in 2025, and his number in Triple-A this season are similar, with a 4.13 ERA across 32.2 innings pitched.

Gipson-Long will get the start for the Tigers on Tuesday night, and for now, he'll get at least one more outing after tonight.

Douglas Santo

Douglas Santo is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. As a senior at Arizona State University, he will complete his B.A. in sports journalism with a minor in business in December 2025. Before his time with Sporting News, Douglas covered the NFL and MLB for Athlon Sports and contributed as a digital reporter for Arizona PBS/Cronkite News. He is also the head of Sun Devil Daily, managing all content produced about Arizona State Sports.