SEATTLEScott Harris said reinforcements were coming.The Detroit Tigers' president of baseball operationswasntmessing around.Jackson Jobe, abigpieceof theorganizationsfuture,arrived Tuesday, Aug. 4,at T-Mobile Parkjust hoursahead of the Tigers series opener against the Mariners.He will pitch in San Francisco this weekend,likely on Saturday evening and almost certainlyas its starter in a nationally televised game (7:15 p.m., Fox). Manager A.J. Hinch said the team will try to stretch him out to help the bullpen and thinned-out rotation with Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize gone.But only to a point.He has to be watched and will no doubt be on a pitch count he threw 70 pitches over four innings at High-A West Michigan on Sunday in his last rehab start.Dontexpect him to throw many more than that against the Giants.Jobe is returning after nearly a 14-month absence for recovery and rehab after Tommy John surgery. The 100 mph-throwing 24-year-old is a tantalizing piece of the future, butthe Tigershope he could bea formidable piece of the present.If they are to make a run to the postseason at all the Tigers entered Tuesday 2 games out of the final American League wild-card spot theyllneed Jobe to give the rotation some innings, and preferably productive ones. A few of Jobes veteran teammates, for whatitsworth, were clear-eyed thatthis playoff push is no pipe dream.No one was more forcefulin that beliefthan right-handed reliever Kenley Jansen, who told reporters he chose the Tigers in the offseason because he hadnt made the playoffs since 2022, and he missed ir. That means, he continued, if the Tigers are to get there for the third straight season, he needs to be better.Much better.I need to step it up, he said, pitch better. You know,Illbe showing that a little bit. And the rest of the guys can step up ... We justgottacome out there with a chip on our shoulder....Letslock it down and hopefully the lineup just keeps doing whattheyredoing, andwelltake it from there.Wait, he had more:Illbe honest, the American League is not that great this year, and everything is wide open. The division is wide open. ... People count us out? Great. I loveit. Wegottaprove it. Not proving [for] other people... prove toourselveswhatwerecapable of. ... I gotta prove to myself to be better out there.Jobe just wants to prove that he belongs, that he is stronger, that he is ready, thathe is back.Hedbeengonea while.Now he was grinning, and grateful,no matter thathedbeen bopping around the Midwest trying to stay ahead of the rainin order toget his rehab startsfinishedthe last couple of weeks.His lasttrip was surely the sweetest, and definitely the longest, not to mention the giddiest.He gotthe callhedbeenwaitingonforclose to14monthslate Monday,back in Detroit. The Tigers were ready for him to rejoin them.Hedpitchedthe day before forHigh-A West Michigan, wherehedthrown70 pitches 45 for strikes in his fifth rehab startthis season.Hedbeen scheduled topitch for Triple-AToledo.The weather had other ideas.So, Jobe went back toComstock Park, a suburb ofGrand Rapids,where hethrew his first two rehab games he also threw two rehab games for Double-A Erie.'I want this to last me'And now he was here, standing before his locker stall in the visitors' clubhouse at T-Mobile Park, having arrived in Seattle just a couplehoursbefore the team buswassupposed to leave the hotel for the ballpark.He grinned. Of course, he did. He was just starting his big-league career when he felt something in his elbow. That was the end ofMay2025. The Tigers put him on the 15-day IL for right elbow flexor strain, a condition that often portends Tommy John surgery.Less than two weeks later, the club announced 2021's No. 3 overall pick would miss theremainderof the season, 10 starts into his career.The sudden stop to his pitching life was tough.Thatdbeen his identity.The game was kind of taken away from me, to be honest, he said. I had to figure out my identity away from the game.He also had to get stronger. Rehab gave him the chance.I had to continue to remind myself that this is for the long haul, he said. Obviously, I want this to lastme. Idontever want to do this again.Surgery, that is. Not rehab. Well,maybe rehab, too.Quick hitsDrew Anderson will start Wednesday (9:40 p.m. EDT, Detroit SportsNet) in Seattle. Hinch wants to stretch his start to hopefully three or four innings, so itwontbe a true bullpen game. Left-hander Framber Valdez will start the series finale on Thursday (4:05 p.m.).Right hander Yilber Diaz was called upfromTriple-A Toledo to give the Tigers some bullpen depth.They will need it. He wasacquiredoff waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks in June.The bullpen could get more help in thenot-too-distantfuture when LHP Brant Hurter returns. He was scheduled to make a rehab start in Low-A Lakeland on Tuesday. Kerry Carpenter is completing a return to play hitting, running and defense progression.Contact Shawn Windsor:swindsor@freepress.com. Follow him@shawnwindsor.This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Jackson Jobe back with Tigers as Kenley Jansen focused on improvement