Heuer reappeared in the Majors this year for the first time since 2021. The right back had a minor league deal with Texas, which was selected for the MLB roster in June. He pitched once before returning to Triple-A. That was his only appearance with the Rangers, but they managed to find a taker for him at the trade deadline. They sent him to the Tigers for money. Heuer made two appearances in Detroit before being released in September.
The 29-year-old threw a total of 4 2/3 innings with three runs. He struck out five while walking two. The former sixth-round pick pitched quite well in Triple-A. Heuer combined for a 3.14 earned run average while striking out over 30% of batters in 48 2/3 frames. He kept the ball on the ground at a 48.3% clip and a league-high 8.4% walk rate.
Heuer looked like a potential high-leverage bullpen piece early in his career with the White Sox. He posted a 1.52 ERA with a 27% strikeout rate while sitting around 98 MPH during his 2020 rookie season. His stuff was bolstered the following year, especially after he was dealt to the Cubs at the ’21 deadline. That was a harbinger of a series of significant elbow injuries. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2022 and then broke his elbow while rehabbing in June ’23. He played all fifteen minor league games between 2022 and 2024.
A healthy ’25 season in itself is a major achievement given that history. Unsurprisingly, Heuer’s stuff wasn’t as electric as it was before the injuries. His fastball was in the 94-95 MPH range and he averaged about 84 MPH on his slider, four ticks lower than where he had ever been. Still, Heuer showed he’s capable of succeeding in Triple-A competition, so he’s a sensible addition to a Cleveland team attacking the bullpen with depth additions.
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