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EspañolElbow injury leaves Tigers' Troy Melton unlikely for 2026 Opening Day
LAKELAND, FL – The Detroit Tigers aren't expecting right-hander Troy Melton on the 2026 Opening Day roster.
It's not because of performance.
It's due to injury.
The 25-year-old has been shut down from throwing for one to two weeks with right elbow inflammation, which means he isn't expected to be ready for Opening Day on March 26 against the San Diego Padres.
"It's unlikely that he's going to be ready for the beginning of the season," manager A.J. Hinch said Friday, Feb. 27, before a spring training game against the Philadelphia Phillies, "but we'll know more as we ramp him back up what that exactly means."
Melton visited a doctor for general arm soreness.
He was diagnosed with inflammation in his right elbow.
"The doctor suggested one to two weeks of no throw," Hinch said, "while he can still do other things – lifting, running, [pitcher fielding practice]. We'll limit the throw while things calm down."
Melton completed a bullpen Feb. 12, then threw live batting practice Feb. 15, followed by another bullpen Feb. 17 and another live batting practice Feb. 20, but he hasn't pitched since then.
"Time of year, certainly going to be super cautious with his throwing program," Hinch said.
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In 2025, Melton registered a 2.76 ERA with 15 walks and 36 strikeouts across 45⅔ innings in 16 games (four starts). He also had a 3.23 ERA over 39 innings in 10 starts for Double-A Erie and a 2.72 ERA over 36⅓ innings in eight games (six starts) for Triple-A Toledo.
He made his MLB debut in July 2025.
This story will be updated.
Contact Evan Petzold at [email protected] or follow him @EvanPetzold.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Troy Melton injury update: Tigers starter unlikely for Opening Day
Could the Vikings trade for a QB inside the NFC North?
The Minnesota Vikings and their quarterback discussion are not going anywhere anytime soon.
First-year starter J.J. McCarthy had a rollercoaster 2025 season, highlighted by poor play and injuries, which prevented him from proving himself. Production value aside, McCarthy's unavailability is perhaps his biggest drawback for the 2026 season.
But perhaps the team could find their answer from a familiar foe in the Chicago Bears. Their general manager, Ryan Poles, spoke to the media this week and said they have received calls from teams interested in backup quarterback Tyson Bagent.
Poles told the media this week, "Obviously the tough thing is with what Ben (Johnson) thinks about Tyson, what I think about Tyson, what our locker room thinks about Tyson, but for Tyson as well, he would have an opportunity to go and perform for a team and do some really good things."
Bagent started four times in 2023 when he took over for Justin Fields during that season. He managed to pass for only three touchdowns and five interceptions, but he showed some promise as a project for the Bears. Being a project could make him a perfect backup for Kevin O'Connell as the team looks for security behind J.J. McCarthy.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: NFL offseason: Could the Vikings make a trade for a QB with Chicago?
Trump, DeSantis to tackle college sports' NIL issues
Florida will be represented when President Donald Trump convenes a "Saving College Sports" roundtable March 6 at the White House to discuss issues related to a once-amateur pursuit that is rapidly evolving into a professionalized industry.
Gov. Ron DeSantis will be vice chair for the meeting, focused on how to develop rules and regulations in the wake of court decisions that enable college athletes to be compensated for use of their name, image, or likeness. News of the summit was first reported by Yahoo Sports.
Without anti-trust protection, which courts have invalidated, or a collective bargaining agreement that could designate players as employees, college athletics is currently a marketplace with few rules. Wealthy universities can fill their rosters by outspending competitors who aren’t backed by well-financed boosters.
Trump has made the issue a priority. The idea for the summit apparently emerged from a Feb. 15 golf outing the president hosted at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach that included DeSantis and former college coaches Urban Meyer of the University of Florida, Mack Brown of North Carolina, and Nick Saban of Alabama. They all were invited to the roundtable.
Also among the 40 people invited to the White House roundtable, according to ESPN, are two Heisman Trophy winners from the state.
On the list is former Florida State University quarterback and current Florida A&M University basketball coach Charlie Ward, who won the award for best football player in 1992, and the University of Florida’s Tim Tebow, the 2007 winner.
Invitations were also sent to Tiger Woods, former U.S. Secretary of State and College Football Playoff selection committee member Condoleezza Rice, ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro, and Indiana University Athletics Director Scott Dolson.
Despite Trump’s support for NIL regulations and multiple college athletics directors calling for congressional action, supporters have been unable to get a bill to move in Congress. Yahoo Sports said it is unclear if all the people invited have accepted the invitation.
James Call is a member of the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow on him X: @CallTallahassee.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Trump, DeSantis to discuss college sports' NIL future