Casey Mize was bracing this week for what could be his final start as a Tiger. It turns out the former No. 1 overall pick might have already thrown his final pitch in a Detroit uniform.
The Tigers scratched Mize from his scheduled start in Friday’s series opener against the Athletics in Sacramento. The move, announced Friday morning, comes three days before Monday’s Trade Deadline. It provides the strongest indication yet that the Tigers plan to be sellers at the Deadline, listening to offers on Mize along with back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and others.
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No trade with Mize is believed to be imminent, but the decision to scratch is a precaution against the risk of injury. Detroit made a similar decision with Jack Flaherty two years ago, before trading him to the Dodgers just before the Deadline.
Mize, 29, has battled a nagging groin issue all season. He had two separate stints on the injured list with a right adductor strain and inflammation, and he reported groin soreness after leaving his July 19 start against the Angels in the fourth inning following a comebacker off his left wrist.
Mize bounced back from that latest absence and tossed six innings of one-run ball last Saturday against the Royals, though his fastball velocity was down in that start. Mize's average four-seam fastball velocity this season is 93.5 mph, but in that start, his heater averaged 92.0 mph or less in five of his six frames. Only four of his 27 four-seamers on Saturday were faster than his season average, and that pitch bottomed out at 89.4 mph.
One evaluator who watched the game said the velocity wasn’t a huge concern given how well he pitched otherwise, but that it could be a concern for some clubs given his groin injuries this season. Another start might have provided a chance to alleviate those concerns, but the Tigers might have enough interest from teams regardless to make it not worth the risk.
He is healthy now, according to Detroit, but the team isn’t going to take a chance. If Mize isn’t traded by the Deadline, the Tigers plan to start him Tuesday against the Mariners in Seattle.
When Mize has been healthy, he has posted the best numbers of his career, from a 2.70 ERA to a .992 WHIP to 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings and a 4.47 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 16 starts. His 2.9 fWAR is already a career high, according to FanGraphs.
The season continues an upward trajectory for Mize since his 2024 return from Tommy John and back surgeries that cost him the better part of two years. He has battled hamstring and groin injuries over the last few years, but nothing arm related.
Mize’s rise comes at an opportune time with free agency looming at season’s end. Like with his close friend Skubal, his situation will bring a decision from the Tigers about whether to trade him now or hold onto him and risk losing him as a free agent for a compensation pick.
Mize spent the week doing his between-starts routine and preparing to pitch Friday against the A’s, but knew the trade winds could impact that.
“There’s a lot of unknown with what the next [few] days are going to bring,” Mize said Wednesday. “I’m just as curious as anybody. It’s all around us, can’t really avoid it. We’ll see. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’m aware. [Last Saturday] could’ve been my last home start.”
Asked what he would want if he could choose a destination, he said: “I want to win. I want to play somewhere that I’m comfortable and a place that wants me. Those are kind of my priorities. I really want to win. I think that’s why we play.
“If Monday comes and goes I’m still here, I’m going to continue to want to win. If I’m elsewhere, I’m obviously going to try to help that team win.”