One of baseball’s top prospects could make his MLB debut on Sunday, as Casey Mize could potentially start the Tigers’ game against the Reds. Detroit manager Ron Gardenhire has held back from directly stating that Mize is slated to start, as the skipper told MLB.com’s Jason Beck and other reporters on Friday that “I can’t announce anything until my general manager makes a statement.” In another chat with media (including MLive.com’s Evan Woodbery) this morning, Gardenhire noted that “We’re on a day-to-day basis here. We’ve got to make sure everything’s okay before we make that announcement for tomorrow.”
Factors both large and small go into that “everything’s okay” designation. Most directly, rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast for both tonight and tomorrow in the Detroit area, so the Tigers aren’t going to promote Mize unless they are certain a game will actually be played. (To that end, the Tigers and Reds moved their game today from a 5:10pm CT start to 12:10pm CT in an effort to try and beat the rain.)
In the bigger picture, there is also the increasingly ominous threat that the 2020 season could be paused or halted altogether as multiple teams (the Marlins and Cardinals) are now dealing with coronavirus outbreaks. The latter situation is more directly concerning to the Tigers, as Detroit is scheduled to face St. Louis in four games from August 3-6. At the very least, it seems very likely those four games won’t be happening, leaving the Tigers with an extended break in the schedule unless they can possibly rearrange any other games with other opponents.
Such on-field considerations are of obvious concern to the Tigers in regards to Mize’s status, as they’re not going to call up their most prized young arm only to begin his career in stop-start fashion. Service time could also be an issue, as while enough time in the season has passed that Detroit has gained an extra year of control over Mize, the Tigers might not want to start his service time clock due to the possibility that the league might halt play all teams within just a few days’ time.
It’s an unusual situation to be sure, though the idea of Mize making his debut in 2020 was certainly in the cards long before the pandemic became a reality. The first overall pick of the 2018 draft has impressed in his brief pro career, posting a 2.71 ERA, 4.62 K/BB rate, and 8.8 K/9 over 123 total minor league innings. Mize hasn’t pitched beyond the Double-A level, tossing 78 2/3 frames for the Tigers’ Erie affiliate in 2019, though the canceled 2020 minor league season erased his opportunity to pitch Triple-A ball. Detroit included Mize on its 60-man player pool, and the righty has been working out at the team’s minor league training site.
Looking forward to it. Who will have the more dominant rookie campaign, Pearson or Mize? My moneys on big Nate, Mize is filthy though. Two top RHP prospects in the league debuting days from each other, amazing.
Is Brady Singer a joke to you?
No, he’s also not 1 of the top 2 RHP prospects in the game right now . He’s also not a consensus top 10 prospect in the league, like Nate and Casey.
I have Nate Pearson on my team. Who is this Brady Singer you speak of? Surely you can’t be comparing a AA pitcher to Pearson or Mize? That is to laugh!
*begins laughing at your wonderful joke*
Brady Singer RHSP is KC’s top draft pick from 2018 from Florida. Singer was on top of the Draft Board for a year, but he fell down the Board for reasons unknown. Singer has top of the rotation stuff.
I am surprised rebuilding KC let Singer start this year and did not save him for next year…There was an injury to a KC starter, KC does not have a lot of pitching depth etc…
i’m going to go with Mize because his splitter is a more dominate pitch than Pearson’s fastball.
They both are exciting.
That Mize splitter is really filthy, he’s going to get a lot of swings and misses with it, without a doubt. But Nate’s heater is just ridiculous, if he can stay healthy, he will be a stud.
Agreed. There is no doubt Pearson’s fastball is the real deal. I just feel that pro hitters can catch up to that easier than they will recognizing the splitter IMO
They will get to face each other i am sure quite a few times.
Promote Daniel Norris instead, no need to start Mize clock.
That would be the smart move. Mize should really make his debut in May of 2021 IMO
Even more so since Norris might – and hopefully will – be trade bait. If there is a game tomorrow, the Tigers could piggyback Norris with Alexander or R. Garcia, depending on which won’t play today.
Gruß,
BSHH
Even more so since Norris might – and hopefully will – be trade bait. If there is a game tomorrow, the Tigers could piggyback Norris with Alexander or R. Garcia, depending on which won’t play today.
Gruß,
BSHH
Today’s game was cancelled due to sprinkles. Just move Fulmer to Sunday. Better to wait until they’re sure the season will continue before making the call up.
As much as I would love to see Mize. The businessman in me know stating his clock this year is a waste of his service time for the Tigers.
norris isnt ready. gardy confirmed it.
from the Detroit News:
The Tigers had not announced their Sunday starter until the game Saturday was postponed. Left-hander Daniel Norris will be summoned from the taxi squad and is slated to pitch the second game.
Manning has earned it more
Excuse me? How?
Would really like to see Mize pitch in Comerica this year. However, i’m guessing the season will be scrapped within a few weeks. How MLB handles service time for rookies in that case is critical. It would be a shame if the Tigers lose a year of control of Casey over a lost season.
Season will get axed soon. Don’t start his clock.
Mize is the next star pitcher of baseball. As long as he is healthy
What? The Tigers are promoting Casey Mize already?
Mize is for sure ready (as is Manning) but there is absolutely NO REASON WHATSOEVER to begin his service clock on a season that will be over within a few weeks. There is no way they will continue to play ball with cases popping up as much as they have been, and to start either one of their service clocks would be detrimental to the rebuild. Not only that, but I really think having the M & M pitchers start next season in AAA then BOTH come up together to form the 4th and 5th starter spots in Detroit’s rotation would be the best way to go. Hell even Tarik Skubal may be ready by then. Then you get a righty/lefty/righty rotation for the 3/4/5 spots in the rotation. Can’t wait to see that at Comerica!
LHSP Joey Wentz was a top rated starter in the Braves system the Tigers got in the Greene deal. He had Tommy John. He will be back in ’22. His stuff is top of the rotation type stuff also..
Tigers are going to have a serious rotation by ’22 with studs from top to bottom.
You guys are crazy saying not to bring him up. This year won’t count for his service. The rules are he needs 60 consecutive days up with big club to count. We’re passed that.
This is a free year for him to face big league batters. Get the nerves out now.
Bring up Manning too.
I honestly don’t think know if it will count or not but there are other reasons why her doesn’t need to come up now. This has been a very strange year for prospects at every level with MiLB being cancelled. The worst thing for any of our prospect pitchers psyche is to come up and get shelled only to be sent back down to “the minors” or whatever you call Toledo this year. Its just not worth having them risk this or injury and simply wait till 2021 and a regular start to the season. With starting Spring training, then shutting it down, then starting again, there is too much risk to bother with this 60 game sprint of a season. I’d much rather see a rotation of Turnbull/Mize/Skubal/Manning/Wentz by 2021 or 2022. That will be awesome!
S0me people want control of his 2027 season. Tigers already control him for 2026.
This is a BOGUS RUMOR. Tigers will pivot to Daniel Norris, not Casey Mize at this time. The Tigers should resist this dumb move. It makes zero sense to burn a year of service time on a 60 game season that could be aborted and cancelled. Save Mize for May or June of 2021 so the New Tigers contending team in ’22-’23 gets maximum use and maximum mileage out of Mize before free agency….It is much more likely that Daniel Norris comes back and gets that start in place of Casey Mize. Norris has been working out, getting stretched at out in intra squad games, at AAA Toledo , getting ready to start.
If during this wacky season it looks like Tigers are legitimate contenders, then consider it, but not before.
Daniel Norris and Rony Garcia get the starts in the DH tomorrow.