The Detroit Tigers have decided to keep right-hander Casey Mize off the mound this weekend. He will not take the ball on Friday against the Athletics as originally planned.
The move has nothing to do with his health and everything to do with the approaching MLB trade deadline.
Detroit Tigers delay start for strategic reasons
With the MLB trade deadline just 72 hours away, Detroit Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris is carefully managing his pitching staff. Multiple teams have shown interest in Casey Mize, along with ace Tarik Skubal and a few other names on the roster. Rather than risk putting Mize in a situation that could complicate any potential deal, the club pushed his next outing past Monday’s deadline.
Mize is fully available and has not been placed on the injured list for this decision. He simply will not start until the deadline passes. Barring a trade, he is lined up to face the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday.
Recent health background
Even though the Detroit Tigers insist Casey Mize is healthy right now, his recent history explains why the organization is being cautious. On July 19 he left a start early because of tightness in his groin. That episode marked the second time this season he has landed on the injured list with a groin-related issue. The club clearly prefers to avoid any chance of another setback while trade talks remain active.
Familiar playbook from last year
This is not the first time the Detroit Tigers have used this approach. In 2024, they held Jack Flaherty out of a scheduled start just before the deadline. Flaherty was later traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The parallel is hard to miss and suggests the front office is keeping every option open as the clock ticks down.
Bullpen game on deck for Friday
With Casey Mize unavailable, the Detroit Tigers will turn to a bullpen game against the Athletics on Friday night. Multiple relievers are expected to share the workload. The strategy allows the club to stay competitive while protecting a starter who could still be moved in the next few days.
Fans looking to catch the team in person can still find tickets for remaining home games throughout the season. Interest around the trade deadline has only increased attention on every start and every roster decision coming out of Detroit.
The coming days will reveal whether Casey Mize stays in a Tigers uniform or becomes the latest arm to change teams before the deadline. For now, the organization has chosen patience over putting him on the mound one more time this week.