Detroit — The question was poorly phrased, but, to his credit, Tigers reliever Jacob Waguespack took it without offense.
Have you allowed yourself to feel any sense of validation for sticking with the journey and making it back to this level? That was the question.
“Yeah, I mean, I guess so,” he said. “I always believed I could have success here. I have had success here before in the past.”
A polite and professional answer, but, as he must’ve been thinking, the validation doesn’t come for Waguespack, it comes from him. He’s validating the Tigers’ decision to acquire him from the Brewers on June 10 while he was languishing in Triple A.
“It’s all learning experiences, man,” Waguespack said. “Every day you put in the work and see what happens. It’s nice to get this chance, this opportunity. That is what I’m most grateful for — the opportunity.”
You’re forgiven if you don’t know Waguespack’s story. The 32-year-old hasn’t been here long enough yet to make much of an impression. But it’s a good story. This guy has been through it on multiple continents.
He was drafted in the 37th round out of Dutchtown High School in Geismar, Louisiana, in 2012, but decided to attend Ole Miss instead. And he went undrafted after three underwhelming seasons in Oxford.
That’s when the journey started. This is his 12th season in professional baseball. He made it to the big leagues with the Blue Jays in 2019 and then decided to take his baseball education abroad.
He spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons pitching for the Orix Buffaloes in the Japan Pacific League. And in 2022 found himself on the biggest stage there, pitching in the championship series.
“That was an incredible experience,” he said.
On a team that featured Dodgers star Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Masataka Yoshida of the Red Sox, it was Waguespack, the only American player on the team, who had the ball in his hand with the games on the line.
He collected a win and three saves as Orix won its first championship since 1996. He got the save in Game 7.
Orix made it back to the Japan Series in 2023, also, losing to Osaka. Waguespack endured a walk-off loss in that series.
“Pitching in big moments in front of a lot of people, those moments hardened me for the future,” he said. “I got some valuable experience there pitching in those moments, and winning and losing was all part of it.”
He came back to the states a wiser and better pitcher, having developed a useful changeup in Japan that continues to serve him well.
“It’s like my second-best pitch now,” he said. “But that’s the beauty of this game. You learn and grow and with my path was going overseas to do that.”
He got back to the big leagues with the Rays in 2024, but back and shoulder injuries limited him to four games and kept him in Triple A with the Rays and Phillies in 2025.
“I still have to do a lot of extra work on my back,” he said. “Some of the guys poke fun at me. Me and Drew Anderson (fellow Japan League alum) are close and he’s always like, ‘Is it time? Is it time to roll out?’ I do a lot of stuff, but that’s what I learned about it. With the lower back and shoulder, it requires a lot of maintenance.”
Waguespack has been a good find for the Tigers, as he showed recording the last six outs in the 6-2 win over the Athletics Tuesday night. He’s 6-6 with a 7-foot-1 extension that comes at hitters at an over-the-top arm angle, almost like an old Iron Mike pitching machine.
“I’ve always thrown over the top, since high school,” he said. “It’s always just, getting everything (the rest of his body) out of the way and letting my arm come through. I’ve gotten a little better with hip rotation and trying to stay balanced. I can get off-balance because stuff is moving out of the way. “
He’s been effective in the short sample, allowing two earned runs in 11.2 innings with eight strikeouts and two walks. he hasn’t allowed a run in 9.2 innings.
“He’s been good,” manager AJ Hinch said. “He’s getting some funny swings out of guys. He hides the ball a little bit. He’s got some extension. He gets them to swing under the ball quite a bit and he’s got the equalizer changeup. I’ve been impressed by his demeanor and his ability to create some good leverage for himself.”
Left-handed hitters are 2 for 13 against him so far with no extra-base hits. Righties are 3 for 26.
“Every year has been a learning experience,” Waguespack said. “Whether it was a different pitch, moving to Japan, getting hurt and learning about my body and my back and stuff I can’t do as much as I used to.”
After pitching three times in four days, he hasn’t worked since June 30.
“It is nice to throw a lot,” he said. “You’re in there, you are working on stuff and making adjustments, quick adjustments. But my role is to go when they call me and I am happy with that.”
The Tigers seem pretty happy with it, as well.
Tigers vs. Athletics
First pitch: 6:40 p.m. Wednesday, Comerica Park, Detroit
TV/Radio: Detroit Sports Net/97.1 FM
Scouting report
LHP Jeffrey Springs (3-8, 5.79), Athletics: He’s been going through it. He allowed 32 runs (30 earned) in 27 innings in six starts in June. He’s been tagged for an MLB-most 24 homers in 93.1 innings. He allowed 28 in 171 innings last season. Opponents are slugging .518 with an .840 OPS, with right-handed hitters doing a lot of damage (18 homers, .535 slug, .874 OPS).
RHP Troy Melton (4-1, 2.05), Tigers: He’s been lights-out. Over his last three starts, he’s allowed two runs and five hits with 18 strikeouts and four walks in 18.1 innings. The Tigers are 5-2 in his seven starts and he’s produced five quality starts. Opponents are hitting .200 or under against four of his pitches (four-seam, slider, cutter, splitter). He’s reduced left-handed hitters to all-or-nothing at-bats, holding them to a .151 average but with six of the seven homers he’s yielded.
Chris.McCosky@detroitnews.com
@cmccosky
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Jacob Waguespack, well-traveled reliever, carving niche with Tigers
Reporting by Chris McCosky, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Chris McCosky, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
