2 weeks agoDetroit Tigers right-hander
Casey Mize appears set to open the season in the team's Opening Day starting rotation after the team optioned pitchers
Keider Montero and
Ryan Kreidler to the minors on Saturday morning, according to The Athletic's Cody Stavenhagen. Additionally, top pitching prospect
Jackson Jobe will be in the rotation to begin the year. Veteran
Kenta Maeda will start in the bullpen, while
Alex Cobb (hip) is expected to miss at least the first month. Mize, 27, looked great this spring with a 1.13 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 18 strikeouts and seven walks in 16 Grapefruit League innings. The post-hype prospect was the first overall pick in the 2018 draft, but so far he's disappointed due to injuries and with a 4.36 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 226:85 K:BB in 291 innings for Detroit. Mize is worth the low cost in AL-only leagues to see if he can finally put it all together.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Cody Stavenhagen
2 months agoAccording to Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic, Detroit Tigers starting pitchers
Casey Mize and
Matt Manning could shift to bullpen roles during the 2025 season. While both pitchers will report to camp as starters, they could have an uphill battle to earn a spot in the Opening Day rotation. On Sunday evening, the team signed
Jack Flaherty to a two-year contract. In addition, Stevenhagen noted that the team would like their top prospect,
Jackson Jobe, to begin the season in the rotation. However, if he struggles during spring training, that could open up the final spot for Mize or Manning. Last season, Mize logged 102 1/3 innings in the majors and held a 4.49 ERA with a 1.47 WHIP. He struck out just 17.3 percent of the batters he faced. Manning logged only 27 2/3 innings in the big leagues as he spent most of his summer in Triple-A. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Jobe's development, as it will likely provide clarity to the back end of the Detroit rotation.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Cody Stavenhagen
5 months agoThe Detroit Tigers declined right-handed pitcher
Casey Mize's 2025 club option, according to Cody Stavenhagen. However, the 27-year-old remains under team control and is eligible for arbitration. Mize posted a modest 4.49 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in his first full campaign post-Tommy John surgery in 2024. This was a decline compared to his 3.71 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP, which he held in the 2022 campaign, his other full season. Under the hood, the former first-overall pick generated ground balls at an elite 49.6% mark. However, he allowed hard contact at a poor 44.6% hard-hit rate and could not generate strikeouts at an underwhelming 17.3% K rate. Mize remains a low-end starter for deeper formats heading into the 2025 season.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Cody Stavenhagen
6 months agoThe Detroit Tigers left right-hander
Casey Mize off the roster for the American League Division Series against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians and included rookie right-hander
Keider Montero instead. Mize missed more time with injury in 2024 and finished the regular season in the bullpen after making 20 of his 22 appearances on the year in a starting role. The 27-year-old former first overall pick in 2018 out of Auburn wasn't good in his two relief outings and went 2-6 overall with a 4.49 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and just 78 strikeouts in 102 1/3 total innings. Montero wasn't all that much better in his first MLB season, going 6-6 with a 4.76 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 77:31 K:BB in 19 outings (16 starts) over 98 1/3 innings. He wasn't included on the roster for the Wild-Card Series but did throw 6 1/3 shutout innings against Cleveland back on July 8. Montero will most likely be used in a long-relief role.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Detroit Tigers
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