The Tigers have placed righty-hander Casey Mize and utilityman Javier Báez on the injured list, per a club announcement. Mize heads to the 15-day IL due to a right adductor strain. Báez is going on the 10-day IL due to a sprained right ankle. Lefty Enmanuel De Jesus and infielder Jace Jung were recalled from Triple-A Toledo in a pair of corresponding moves.
The loss of Mize is a tough blow for the rotation. He’s out to the best start of his career, having pitched to a 2.90 earned run average with a 27.3% strikeout rate that would easily register as a career-high in a full season. He’s walked 8.6% of his opponents and kept 38.8% of batted balls against him on the ground. Mize’s prior career-highs in opponents’ chase rate and swinging-strike rate were 28.3% and 10.8%, respectively; he’s at 30.8% and 12.1% so far in 2026.
Mize exited his most recent start in the third inning. He pulled up with an apparent injury while attempting to field a bunt up the first base line. He wound up being charged with two earned runs that game — just the second time in six starts this season that he’s been charged with multiple earned runs in a start.
With Mize sidelined for at least two weeks and Justin Verlander also on the injured list, the Tigers’ rotation depth is being tested. Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez remain a formidable one-two punch atop the staff. Keider Montero is also out to a career-best start. Veteran Jack Flaherty, conversely, is having one of the worst starts to a season in his career. Swingman Drew Anderson, who’s stretched out and has gone as long as 3 1/3 innings this season, is a candidate to step into the vacant spot in the rotation. Detroit could also turn to Triple-A, where righties Sawyer Gipson-Long and Ty Madden are possibilities.
Báez, meanwhile, had to be carted off the field in yesterday’s game after injuring himself on a slide. He underwent an MRI that revealed the sprain. A timetable for his return isn’t yet clear. He’s been getting frequent run in the infield and in center field, following the Parker Meadows injury, and is hitting .256/.280/.397 with a pair of homers in 82 plate appearances this year.
With Báez out of the equation for the short term at least, Detroit’s options in center field include Matt Vierling and Wenceel Perez. Young outfielder Max Clark, a former top-five pick and one of the ten top prospects in all of baseball at the moment, looms as an option in Triple-A. He’s slashing .303/.377/.444 with a homer, eight steals, an 11.4% walk rate and just a 13.2% strikeout rate in 116 trips to the plate. Clark isn’t on the 40-man roster but seems quite likely to make his big league debut at some point this season. It’s possible that Báez’s injury accelerates that timetable, although for now, center field will seemingly be entrusted to more experienced options.
Welcome back, Dumpster Fire De Jesus.
De Jesus was the best option? Wow!!
My guess is that DeJesus is up just for mop-up work. Then they’ll either activate JV or recall someone to piggyback with Anderson.
Jung is running out of chances. Hopefully he seizes this opportunity, however, my confidence level is not high.
He hasn’t had a lot of opportunity so far. The team is kinda set with infielders. Bringing Torres back was strange.
This is likely his last chance with the Tigers to prove he’s major league ready. I’m not confident he’ll meet this challenge
He’s only had 126 big league at bats spread out over 2 years. Thats not a lot of opportunity. You have to let players play to see if they are good enough or not. Acting as if he is out of chances is silly.
last chance? IDK about that man.
These temporary moves make the most sense, though largely unappealing.
Tigers will be an interesting team to keep an eye on these coming months. With Mize and Skubal reaching free agency after the season they will either go all in or if they sell they will get a ton back for the future.
Olson, Melton and Jobe hopefully move into the rotation next year. However, I’m concerned that Melton’s UCL giving out is just a matter of time.
They will still have Montero and Valdez in ’27. They can take Anderson’s $10 million option…if he finds it at some point this year. Ty Madden and Gipson-Long might help.
Skubal and Mize most likely gone. Flaherty, thankfully, will be too. I doubt Verlander will either.
Tigers can go buy another couple starters if they have to.
The Tigers are in great shape regardless. But the type of talent they could get for Mize and Skubal at the deadline could be franchise altering. It will be interesting to see if they buy or sell come July. Skubal in particular would bring back an absolute haul.
Unless the Tigers fall hopelessly out of the AL Central race (unlikely) they will not be selling Skubal…not Mize.
They will get a draft pick for Skubal, which is hardly comparable, but in a few years that player will likely contribute. There’s also a decent chance that McGonigal will garner another pick if he is ROY or a top 3 MVP vote getter. Again, better than nothing.
The Tigers will more than likely be buyers at the deadline. Just like last year, they’re going to need relief pitching. A big time RH’d bat would be great too.
My biggest complaint with Harris is that he has not shown he can pull pff any sort of Dombrowski-esque, mid-season trade. DD was the best at that.
The Tigers are a 500 team right now with their co ace just hitting the IL. Its certainly not out of the question that they are out of it come July. If Skubal is dealt at the deadline it will ne for far more than the value of the draft pick. Far more.
They won’t get a “haul” for a month of a starting pitcher. Maybe one really good prospect, a lottery pick. Maybe a throw in young veteran.
DD was great at knowing the team weaknesses and filling those spots.
He’s the best pitcher in baseball. They would get a haul. No question about it.
Except closer. I loved the DD era and appreciate what he did. He acquired some great players, but for whatever reason, he could never get a top notch closer.
While they would get something better than a draft pick for TK, they are not going to get a Juan Soto return. He’s going to go free agent. By July, he will still be owed over $10-15 million for this year, then he will be gone. Only a handful of teams will take that on. The Tigers might get an MLB Top 100 prospect. A team’s top 2-5 prospect. They are not going to get anybody’s TOP PROSPECT for 10 weeks of Skubal.
Hopefully Mize is not out long but it will be good to see what Anderson and/or De Jesus can offer as real starters. They didn’t start the year well but have a golden opportunity to turn it around. Tigers depth is getting tested early.
I don’t think Anderson or DeJesus will start anytime soon. Dejesus is an extra reliever until they call Madden up to start. Or maybe they’ll call up Gipson-Long.
I didn’t check but I wonder if any of them are doing well in AAA?
Agreed! And I hope it’s a good sign hat he had a decent spring training.
I don’t understand calling up Jung. They already have Keith and Lee available for 3B. They needed an OF. It should have been Max Clark time. Guess Perez/Vierling will hold down CF.
They’re expected to activate McKinstry very soon. He’s eligible to return on Fri, so maybe this weekend. Jung may get sent right back down at that point.
He pulled up with an apparent injury while attempting to field a bunt up the first base line?
What’s unusual about a pitcher fielding a bunt?
I happened to watching a short on this right now.
Drew Anderson needs to get a shot in the rotation he hasn’t looked great this year but I’m guessing he is just out of place as a long reliever.
He needs to earn that shot. Personally, I want to see Madden.
He’s out of place on a major league roster.
My guess is Madden gets called up in a few days to take Mize’s spot in the rotation.
I still have some faith in DeJesus. He’s shown he can get big league hitters out and pitch out of jams. But when he goes bad, it happens quickly. There’s potential in there, just not sure he’s going to reach it this season.
Jung is not who I expected them to call up. I haven’t been overly impressed with him and don’t see how he’s going to slot into this mix.
Since he can play SS & CF, Trei Cruz makes more sense to me as a replacement for Baez (and/or McKinstry). But Cruz hasn’t been setting the world on fire, either, and he was reportedly on IL, too, although what I read showed him off of IL.
With the rookie of the year incentive program, I can understand the Tigers wanting to stick with Clark not losing eligibility this season, especially since he’s been ice-cold the past week.
Clark does have a four game hitting streak, his bat is starting to heat up again.
Oh good. Wasn’t aware of that. That’s a positive thing. Besides having the great stretch to start the year, it’s good for Max to have a bad stretch, then make adjustments to get back on track. That’s a big key ability to have in the Bigs.
I don’t get why they don’t give Gage Workman a chance in the bigs. He can play SS and he’s hitting over .340 with 4 HRs and 18 RBIs. He also has 10 SBs in 12 chances? Why Jung when he isn’t hitting squat in Toledo?
Workman isn’t on the 40-man and Jung is. That’s the only reason. McKinstry is most likely returning this weekend so Jung will probably get sent right back down anyway.
I have no doubt that if Workman keeps hitting, he’ll get a shot soon though.
Colt Keith is a distinct liability in the field. He cannot be hidden. He’s stiffer and has a clankier mitt than even Kerry Bonds Carpenter which is so not possible.
Thy ball shall find thee.
Injuries could quickly ruin Detroit. Lots of noise about Tiger prospects but there is no one to fill multiple positions if emergency openings arise, especially around the infield. Buncha Ryan Kreidler wannabes down there.
You must not have seen yesterday’s game. Keith made some outstanding plays at 3B.
Hopefully for Mize’s sake this doesn’t last long. He’s having a nice year and hitting free agency.
“Meanwhile” should start the sentence, not come in the middle between commas. Same with “conversely” in “veteran Jack Flaherty, conversely, is having one of the worst starts to a season in his career.” Should be “conversely, veteran Jack Flaherty is having one of the worst starts to a season in his career.”