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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Detroit Tigers waste Tarik Skubal gem in two-hit, 1-0 loss to Kansas City Royals
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Tarik Skubal vs. Michael Wacha. It was an old-fashioned pitchers duel between the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals on Saturday, May 31, at Kauffman Stadium in the second of three games in the series, with Wacha taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning. Advertisement The Royals won, 1-0. Colt Keith broke up Wacha's no-hit bid when he hit a ground-ball single up the middle with one out in the seventh inning, but the Tigers never put a run on the scoreboard. Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) delivers a pitch against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on Saturday, May 31, 2025. The Tigers (38-21) were held to two hits and one walk. Skubal exited after throwing 90 pitches across seven innings. The Royals wasted no time taking advantage of the pitching change, taking a 1-0 lead off right-handed reliever Beau Brieske in the eighth inning. The run scored on back-to-back hits from Nick Loftin and Vinnie Pasquantino. A runner didn't advance into scoring position until Loftin doubled for the Royals in the bottom of the eighth. Advertisement [ MUST LISTEN: Make "Days of Roar" your go-to Detroit Tigers podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ] INJURY UPDATE: Alex Cobb pitched through 'a lot of discomfort' in first rehab start Tarik Skubal's dominance Skubal completed seven scoreless innings with seven strikeouts in 90 pitches. He allowed just two hits: Freddy Fermin hit a full-count fastball for a one-out single in the third inning; Loftin hit a full-count sinker for a one-out single in the fifth inning. There weren't any other baserunners against Skubal, as he didn't allow a walk. Advertisement After Lofton reached safely, he tried to steal second base with Pasquantino in the batter's box, but catcher Dillon Dingler delivered a strike to throw him out. A few pitches later, Pasquantino struck out swinging on a changeup to end the fifth inning. Facing Skubal, both Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez finished 0-for-3 with one strikeout. Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) delivers a pitch against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Celebrate 125 epic seasons of the Tigers with our new book! In the seventh, Witt grounded out to second baseman Gleyber Torres, who made a sliding stop to keep the ball from leaking through the infield. Perez golfed a down-and-in slider to left field, but the ball died at 323 feet, well before getting close to the warning track. Advertisement Skubal has a 2.26 ERA in 12 starts, including a 1.66 ERA, three walks (1.3% walk rate) and 89 strikeouts (37.4% strikeout rate) across his past 10 starts, spanning 65 innings. [ NEW TIGERS NEWSLETTER! Sign up for The Purr-fect Game, a weekly dose of Tigers news, numbers and analysis for Freep subscribers, here. ] Detroit Tigers designated hitter Colt Keith (33) hits a single against the Detroit Tigers in the seventh inning at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Michael Wacha's dominance Wacha also completed seven scoreless innings. He allowed one hit and one walk: Gleyber Torres drew a seven-pitch walk with one out in the fourth inning; Keith hit a middle-middle cutter for a single with one out in the seventh inning. Wacha racked up six strikeouts. Advertisement He threw 99 pitches. Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@ or follow him @EvanPetzold. Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at Order your copy of 'Roar of 125: The Epic History of the Detroit Tigers!' by the Free Press at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers' 5-game win streak snapped in 2-hit loss to K.C. Royals
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Detroit Tigers' Tarik Skubal shut down Royals — then moment of 'relief' changed everything
Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal had thrown 90 pitches over seven scoreless innings. Then came the hook. Manager A.J. Hinch pulled Skubal — the reigning American League Cy Young winner — in favor of right-handed reliever Beau Brieske to begin the eighth inning Saturday, May 31, at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals wasted no time, pouncing on Brieske with back-to-back hits to score the only run of the game. Advertisement The Tigers lost, 1-0. JV ON SKUB: Tigers need to 'ride that horse' deeper into games Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) delivers a pitch against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Skubal felt like he could've kept pitching. "I feel good, but I trust what A.J. does," said Skubal, who retired 20 of the 22 batters he faced, including the final seven in a row. "He's always got a really good plan, and I trust our guys in the bullpen. I'm going to try to pitch as deep as I can, and then turn it over to those guys. They've been really, really good for us." The Royals' offense perked up when Skubal walked off the mound after the seventh inning and got a handshake — not a fist bump — from Hinch. The handshake meant Skubal was done for the day, even at just 90 pitches. Advertisement How did the Royals feel about that? Just ask them. "Honestly, it was a relief to get him out because he was pitching such a good game against us," said Nick Loftin, who had one of the Royals' two hits off Skubal. "We were able to string some hits together against Brieske. It turned out to be a part of the game that helped us win a ballgame." Celebrate 125 epic seasons of the Tigers with our new book! Kansas City Royals left fielder Nick Loftin (12) hits a single against the Detroit Tigers in the fifth inning at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Skubal has a 2.26 ERA in 12 starts. He hasn't thrown more than 96 pitches in any of them. That pattern continued in Saturday's 1-0 loss to the Royals. Hinch was asked if he pulled Skubal to keep him fresh because his next start appeared likely to be on four days of rest — a schedule he has followed just three times in 12 starts. But once again, Skubal will get extra rest before his next start. Advertisement [ NEW TIGERS NEWSLETTER! Sign up for The Purr-fect Game, a weekly dose of Tigers news, numbers and analysis for Freep subscribers, here. ] Kansas City Royals left fielder Nick Loftin (12) celebrates with catcher Freddy Fermin (34) after scoring against the Detroit Tigers in the eighth inning at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on Saturday, May 31, 2025. "He's not going to be on regular," Hinch said, indicating Skubal won't pitch until Friday, June 6, in the series opener against the Chicago Cubs at Comerica Park. "That didn't play into anything today." Instead of riding Skubal, the Tigers turned to Brieske for the eighth inning — with Mark Canha, Loftin and Vinnie Pasquantino due up for the Royals. Additionally, the Royals had a bench full of left-handed hitters ready to pinch-hit upon Skubal's departure. Advertisement Why Brieske? "They've got all left-handed bench with the counters that they were going to do," Hinch said. "If we could flip them, then we've got options a little bit later as well. And Brieske can get outs." The Tigers were prepared for a multi-inning tactical battle, but in the eighth inning, Brieske fit the situation as one of their most effective right-handed relievers against left-handed hitters. Entering Saturday, lefties were hitting just .171 with a .431 OPS against Brieske in 39 plate appearances, while righties had a .308 batting average and a 1.004 OPS in 45 plate appearances. Those splits explain why the Tigers saw Brieske as their best weapon against the Royals' array of left-handed pinch-hitters. Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch (14) watches play against the Kansas City Royals in the ninth inning at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on Saturday, May 31, 2025. ROAD TO GREATNESS: After Tarik Skubal's 'Maddux,' MLB legend Greg Maddux shares secret to sustaining success Advertisement "The ability to handle left-handed hitters when we knew they were going to counter, no matter what right-handed pitcher I put in there, Beau was a good matchup," Hinch said. Brieske can get outs, but he's not Skubal. Everyone knows that. In the eighth, Brieske got pinch-hitter Drew Waters to fly out, but Loftin — a right-handed hitter — smoked a middle-middle fastball into left field for a double. After that, Pasquantino — a left-handed hitter — slapped a middle-away fastball, located well off the plate, for an opposite-field RBI single. The single from Pasquantino put the Royals ahead, 1-0. Advertisement It was enough to win the game. "We give up one run — I mean, you shouldn't lose a lot of games when you give up one, but it's just the nature of the game," Skubal said. "I trust those guys, so I'm going to give it everything I have and let him make the decision of when to go somewhere else." Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@ or follow him @EvanPetzold. Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at Advertisement Order your copy of 'Roar of 125: The Epic History of the Detroit Tigers!' by the Free Press at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers: Tarik Skubal or Beau Brieske vs Kansas City Royals?
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Aces then and now: Justin Verlander wants Detroit Tigers to 'ride that horse' Tarik Skubal
Nine scoreless innings. Thirteen strikeouts. Ninety-four pitches. Future Hall of Fame pitcher Justin Verlander — the old ace of the Detroit Tigers — watched the highlights of current Tigers ace Tarik Skubal dominating the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday, May 25, to achieve his latest milestone, firing his first-ever complete game shutout on fewer than 100 pitches. Advertisement "I love good pitching," Verlander said. He also loved to see Skubal pitch deep into the game. "If I'm the Tigers, and I've got the best pitcher in baseball, I want that (expletive) out there — ride that horse," Verlander said. "That's the way I thought about it when I was pitching." ANOTHER ONE: Tarik Skubal for Cy Young again? Tigers ace at spring training early and ready for repeat Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) pitches first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Comerica Park in Detroit on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Celebrate 125 seasons of the Tigers with our new book! The 28-year-old Skubal and 42-year-old Verlander met for the first time March 25 in San Francisco, at the start of a two-game exhibition series between the Tigers and Giants to complete spring training. Advertisement That day, Verlander introduced himself to Skubal. "I've become a fan of his," Verlander said. They talked in the outfield at Oracle Park. "You're a little star-struck, honestly," Skubal said, tipping his cap to Verlander's legendary 20-year MLB career, including 13 seasons with the Tigers. "What he means to this organization, and what he's accomplished in his career — he's a Hall of Famer, and he's been doing it for a long time. When you're in my shoes, you strive to be who he is. I think that's pretty cool." PURR-FECT GAME: Meet the Detroit Tigers' All-21st Century Team (so far): Who is the ace? Advertisement Skubal — the reigning American League Cy Young winner — owns a 2.49 ERA in the 2025 season, with just seven walks and 92 strikeouts across 68⅔ innings. His masterpiece came Sunday against the Guardians: a complete-game shutout on just 94 pitches, with zero walks and 13 strikeouts. Since returning from flexor tendon surgery on July 4, 2023, Skubal has established himself as the best pitcher in baseball. He ranks No. 1 in MLB with a 2.51 ERA and an 11.8 fWAR over 57 starts and 341 innings since then, well ahead of everyone else in the game. It's not even close. San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Justin Verlander (35) delivers a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Oracle Park on May 12, 2025. [ NEW TIGERS NEWSLETTER! Sign up for The Purr-fect Game, a weekly dose of Tigers news, numbers and analysis for Freep subscribers, here. ] Advertisement "Is he like the only starter since the stars have gotten older — like the previous generation — that has really cemented himself and made a name for himself as a starting pitcher?" Verlander said, sizing up Skubal's place in the game. What about Paul Skenes, 2023's No. 1 overall pick and the current ace of the Pittsburgh Pirates? "I mean somebody that came up and turned himself into a star," Verlander said. "Obviously, Paul had a lot of fanfare early — that would be (Stephen) Strasburg. Somebody that, as a starter, has done some special things to turn himself into a star and a household name since me, Max (Scherzer) and (Clayton) Kershaw? I don't know if anybody else has done that. Chris Sale, maybe?" THE ACE: Tarik Skubal showing leadership of AL-best Tigers — on and off the field Advertisement Skubal has been doing special things for a few years now — including winning the Cy Young and the AL pitching Triple Crown in 2024 — but what stands out to Verlander was one of the most dominant single-game performances in recent memory: Skubal's complete-game shutout. "His last start was eye-opening," Verlander said. "I've been following him." There were only 28 complete games in the 2024 season. That's the fewest in MLB history. So far in 2025, there have been just five complete games thrown — by Skubal on May 25, San Diego's Stephen Kolek against the Rockies on May 10, St. Louis' Erick Fedde against the Nationals on May 9, San Diego's Michael King against the Rockies on April 13 and Texas' Nathan Eovaldi against the Reds on April 1 — through approximately one-third of the 162-game season, putting MLB on pace for an even lower total of 15. Advertisement "Most guys, they're getting pulled at the fifth or sixth inning, not going deep into games," Verlander said. "Your team wins. You did an OK job. But you're not getting shown on ESPN and all the national news outlets to make a name for yourself — because you're not really doing anything." Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) pitches first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Comerica Park in Detroit on Sunday, May 25, 2025. MORE ABOUT HIM: Inside Justin Verlander's 2011 MVP season and his thoughts on a reunion with Tigers To be fair, Skubal needed just 94 pitches to complete his latest gem, the fewest of the five complete games, and was at 85 entering the ninth. Had he been nearing 100 pitches entering the ninth, he probably would've been pulled in favor of a reliever. He hasn't thrown more than 96 pitches in a game this season. Advertisement "Maybe, maybe not," Verlander said. "I mean, maybe he affords himself the opportunity." Skubal hasn't often pitched deep into games. In 114 career starts spanning six MLB seasons, Skubal has pitched into the seventh inning 30 times, the eighth inning just twice and the ninth inning only once — Sunday. His highest single-season innings total is 192 innings, achieved in 2024. "He's obviously special, so who knows what his limit is?" said Verlander, who credits former Tigers manager Jim Leyland for letting him pitch deep into games. "Starting pitchers aren't cookie-cutter. Some get tired at 80 pitches. Nolan Ryan was throwing 300 pitches a game. I do appreciate seeing him go deeper in games and wanting to do that." Advertisement [ MUST LISTEN: Make "Days of Roar" your go-to Detroit Tigers podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ] Verlander threw 23 complete games for the Tigers, with 19 of them coming under Leyland as manager. He also threw at least seven innings in 208 of his 380 starts for the Tigers — 54.7% — and at least eight innings in 73 starts — 19.2% of his starts as a Tiger. Current Tigers manager A.J. Hinch explained his reasons for keeping Skubal under the 100-pitch mark this season, resulting in an 8-3 record in Skubal starts. "If guys want to enter the ninth inning with 85 pitches, I promise you, I will leave guys in," Hinch said. "As starters fatigue, is their pitch 100 — you said 120 — is their 120th pitch better than Will Vest's first pitch or Tommy Kahnle's first pitch or Brant Hurter's first pitch? The answer is no." Advertisement Verlander wants that to change. He believes Skubal — a new-school pitcher with an old-school mindset — possesses all the tools to go the distance consistently, just like he did in his prime. He also thinks the Tigers should start letting him prove it with higher pitch counts and more innings. "Maybe this is where teams start trending back," said Verlander, a three-time AL Cy Young winner and the 2011 AL MVP. "As good as he is, we want you out there for 200-plus innings every year, because that's better for the Detroit Tigers." Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@ or follow him @EvanPetzold. Advertisement Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at Order your copy of 'Roar of 125: The Epic History of the Detroit Tigers!' by the Free Press at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers' ex-ace pushes use of Tarik Skubal: 'Ride that horse'
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Injuries (or regression) to starters could test Detroit Tigers' resiliency
Since finishing last season with a bit of chaotic drama, pitching has been an unquestionable strength for the Detroit Tigers in 2025. The Tigers' pitching success has been a continuation of the team's unexpected post-trade deadline breakout in 2024. As the Tigers finished the season on a 31-13 run beginning Aug. 11, the Tigers staff led the majors with a 2.72 ERA, with the next-best Atlanta Braves coming in at 2.87. This all happened, remember, with manager A.J. Hinch juggling a pitching staff that basically consisted of American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and a conga line of relief pitchers that shut down opponents game after game. Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch walks off the field after a pitching change during the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Monday, May 19, 2025 in St Louis. EVAN PETZOLD: 5 thoughts on Detroit Tigers: Spencer Torkelson's 40-homer pace and trade deadline option Advertisement Thankfully for the Tigers, things look a lot more stable in 2025. The pitching staff has gotten great performances from their five-man rotation, with Skubal looking like Skubal, righty Reese Olson taking a step up in his third year, former No. 1 overall pick Casey Mize in the running for Comeback Player of the Year and top prospect Jackson Jobe already with a 4-0 record in his rookie season. Detroit's bullpen has been solid, too, with a 3.31 ERA that puts them at seventh in MLB. The relief corps has been getting dynamic performances from righty Will Vest, who is striking out more than a batter per inning and has given up only four earned runs in 21 appearances. All in all, the Tigers have some of the most effective pitching in baseball, and it's been a big reason for the team's MLB-best 32-17 start. [ NEW TIGERS NEWSLETTER! Sign up for The Purr-fect Game, a weekly dose of Tigers news, numbers and analysis for Freep subscribers, here. ] Advertisement But the baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint. And if there's anything that's hard to project, it's how effective a pitching staff will be when the playoffs roll around. That leaves the Tigers with a burning question as summer approaches: How sustainable is this pitching for the rest of the season? Detroit Tigers injury concern Detroit Tigers pitcher Casey Mize (12) watches a play against Kansas City Royals from the dugout during the sixth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Celebrate the Tigers' 125 epic seasons with our new book! Arguably the most difficult thing for a team's front office to project is starting pitching health, and it's starting to bite the Tigers. Mize was placed on the 15-day injured list May 10 (retroactive to May 9) with a left hamstring strain. Hinch said the injury was "mild," with Mize saying the organization is being "a little bit more conservative" with his treatment since its early in the season. Advertisement Perhaps Mize's injury isn't that much of a concern, even if he missed two months of the 2024 season with a similar injury. But Olson's might be a bigger issue. Olson was placed on the 15-day IL on May 19 with finger inflammation on his pitching hand. The Tigers say they're not overly concerned with the injury, but hand injuries are more vital than hamstring injuries for a pitcher. The Tigers also have less starting depth than they expected coming into the season. Right-hander Keider Montero is holding his own in his early-season spot starts, but the Tigers can no longer turn to Kenta Maeda for depth after releasing the veteran on May 1. What's worse is that starter Alex Cobb, signed in December to a one-year, $15 million deal, is still rehabbing from an injury he suffered in February and hasn't pitched in a game yet this season, though he has thrown live batting practice to Tigers hitters. That doesn't leave the Tigers with many MLB-tested options. The good news is that last year's 'pitching chaos' gives Hinch a lot of experience in managing bullpen games if needed. But if you asked him, he'd probably rather just have five healthy starters. Tigers pitchers outperforming expectations Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Jackson Jobe (21) delivers a pitch in the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. SHAWN WINDSOR: Detroit Tigers' Riley Greene is becoming a star because he doesn't stress too much Advertisement Tigers pitchers sported a 3.37 ERA entering their series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals on May 21. That's not as low as their ERA during last year's stretch run, but it was still good for sixth-best in MLB. But ERA isn't necessarily the best measure of pitching success, past or future, as it relies on defense as well as what a pitcher is doing. That's where Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) comes in. Measured like ERA, FIP focuses more heavily on walks, strikeouts and home runs — batting outcomes that a pitcher is theoretically solely responsible for. And that's where Tigers' pitching starts to look a little less impressive. Detroit's pitchers entered Wednesday with a 3.86 FIP, 14th among 30 MLB teams. The difference between the team's ERA and FIP is -0.49 runs — 26th in the league, suggesting that Tigers pitchers may be getting better results than they deserve. Advertisement But in another way, Tigers pitchers may be getting unlucky. By expected FIP (xFIP), which tries to take luck out of the equation by normalizing home run rates, Detroit's starters are the second-best staff in the majors, with a 2.96 xFIP. That could mean that the Tigers are getting unlucky with allowing home runs, which might even out as the season continues. All of this doesn't necessarily give the Tigers a middle-of-the-road staff, since what matters is the runs the staff actually gives up instead of the runs it "deserves" to give up. But it's possible the pitching may regress to its expected value, especially if injuries to starters force more creative pitching solutions. Tigers still have their ace Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. At over half a run greater than last year, Skubal's ERA (2.87) suggests some early struggles for the Tigers' ace. After all, Mize has a better ERA and Olson is hanging right with him. Advertisement But make no mistake: Skubal is the the ace of the staff and may still be the best pitcher in baseball. By ERA, Skubal is 23rd in the majors among qualified starters, behind starters such as Michael Wacha, David Peterson and Freddy Peralta, pitchers that don't seem likely to land on many Cy Young award ballots this fall. But by FIP? Skubal's 2.20 mark is fourth in the majors, behind only Astros (and former Wayne State) right-hander Hunter Brown (1.92), San Francisco righty Logan Webb (2.08) and Texas righty Nathan Eovaldi (2.19). In fat, Skubal's FIP is better than that of his 2024 Cy Young season (2.49), which could mean that Skubal is just as good and a lot less lucky so far in 2025. If we take it even further down the analytics train, Skubal's xFIP of 2.25 is the best in the majors among qualified starters. Those "expected" numbers take a lot of Statcast mumbo-jumbo into account, but they bear out what's easier to see live: Skubal is a bona-fide ace, and one of the best pitchers in the world. Advertisement And that may be all the Tigers need to feel confident throughout the summer. Even with a so-so start to 2025 from Jack Flaherty plus IL stints from Mize and Olson, a healthy and productive Skubal could propel this team into the playoffs just like he did last season. What comes after is anyone's guess, but as far as questions for the pitching staff go, it's a good thing for the Tigers' first answer to be the defending AL Cy Young winner. You can reach Christian at cromo@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers starting pitching facing tests of resiliency
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Detroit Tigers place Casey Mize on 15-day injured list with left hamstring strain
The Detroit Tigers placed right-hander Casey Mize on the 15-day injured list May 10 with a left hamstring strain — the same injury that sidelined him for two months last season. It's a "mild strain," according to manager A.J. Hinch. Advertisement The placement on the injured list is retroactive to May 9, making Mize eligible to return as soon as May 24. The Tigers have yet to name a starting pitcher for their May 13 game against the Boston Red Sox at Comerica Park. "In his last inning in Colorado, he felt a little sensation, tweak, whatever that is," Hinch said, referencing Mize's May 8 start against the Rockies at Coors Field in Denver. "Everybody thought dehydration. Turns out, it was a little something — very mild." LEADING THE TIGERS: Tarik Skubal showing leadership of AL-best Tigers — on and off the field Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Casey Mize (12) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies in Game 1 at Coors Field in Denver on Thursday, May 8, 2025. Celebrate 125 seasons of the Tigers! Advertisement To fill Mize's roster spot, the Tigers recalled right-handed reliever Chase Lee from Triple-A Toledo. For the May 13 game, the Tigers could option Lee back to Toledo and call up a starter from the Mud Hens, potentially right-hander Keider Montero. "He probably wasn't going to start on Tuesday, which puts us in a tough spot of how long to carry the unknown," Hinch said of Mize. "In May, we're certainly going to be careful with that, but we expect it to be fine in a short period of time." Montero, 24, didn't make the Opening Day roster, but he has already started four games for the Tigers, posting a 4.15 ERA with 10 walks and 15 strikeouts across 21⅔ innings. For now, though, Montero remains at Triple-A Toledo. Advertisement [ MUST LISTEN: Make "Days of Roar" your go-to Detroit Tigers podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ] [ NEW TIGERS NEWSLETTER! Sign up for The Purr-fect Game, a weekly dose of Tigers news, numbers and analysis for Freep subscribers, here. ] The loss of Mize costs the Tigers one of their top four starting pitchers. The 28-year-old has a 2.53 ERA with nine walks and 35 strikeouts across 42⅔ innings in seven starts. It's unclear if Mize — the 2018 No. 1 overall pick — will need a rehab assignment as part of his recovery from the left hamstring strain, though he made four rehab starts after suffering a left hamstring strain last season. Advertisement The good news: Hinch said there's no connection between last year's injury and this year's injury. "It's a big hamstring," Hinch said. Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@ or follow him @EvanPetzold. Order your copy of 'Roar of 125: The Epic History of the Detroit Tigers!' by the Free Press at Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Casey Mize to IL for Detroit Tigers with left hamstring strain
