The Detroit Tigers' bullpen is in a rough patch, and it's not just future Hall of Famer Kenley Jansen who's feeling the heat. While Jansen has been at the center of recent struggles—throwing 36 pitches on April 22 (his highest count since 2011 at age 23) and serving up walk-off home runs in his next two outings on April 24 and 29—the issues run deeper.

As of Friday, May 1, the Tigers' bullpen ranked 21st in MLB with a 4.39 ERA heading into their game against the Texas Rangers. But the bigger concern might be right-handed reliever Will Vest, who's dealing with an undisclosed issue that hasn't even made the twice-weekly injury report. "Will is not 100%," manager A.J. Hinch said before the three-game series opener at Comerica Park.

Vest hasn't pitched since Sunday's 8-3 road win over the Cincinnati Reds, missing the entire series against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. In Thursday's 5-2 win, the Tigers turned to righty Kyle Finnegan—not Jansen or Vest—for the ninth-inning save opportunity. Finnegan delivered, shutting down the Braves for his first save of the season. "We're just trying to win the game as best we can," Hinch explained. "It was a quick turnaround for Kenley. Our bullpen has been taxed quite a bit. We were just trying to get to the finish line."

For context, Jansen is a 17-year MLB veteran and ranks third on the all-time saves list with 482, needing just 18 more to join the 500-save club alongside Mariano Rivera (652) and Trevor Hoffman (601). This season, he has six saves in nine opportunities, keeping him on pace for 24 more in the remaining 130 games. But the Tigers need him to bounce back from this rough stretch. "We're going through a few things," Hinch admitted. "Obviously, the bullpen has been leaned on heavily."