The Casey Mize era with the Detroit Tigers officially came to a close this season when he was traded to the San Diego Padres for part of a package that included a pair of left handed pitching prospects.
With the Padres, Mize did not perform to expectations, going 2-4 with a 7.46 ERA in 10 starts before eventually landing on the Injured List.
But what are the chances that the Tigers could entertain the thought of potentially bringing Mize back into the fold at some point this offseason?
Are The Tigers Going To Consider A Reunion With Pitcher Casey Mize?
The latest projection on a new contract for Mize via Spotrac puts his projected value at six years and $115.3 million, coming in at just over $19 million a season.
This likely puts the Tigers out of range for a reunion with Mize, despite the suggestion from a key MLB Insider.
According to Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report, the Tigers could consider a reunion with Mize, though there could be lingering animosity between the two sides on how things ended.
“A different reunion could be in the cards for Mize, though, as Detroit also clearly needs starting pitching, moving on without what had been the Nos. 1, 3, 4 and 5 starters in its Opening Day rotation,” Miller wrote. “What we don’t know is whether Mize would have any interest in returning to Motown after they never even approached him about a contract extension before trading him away, per Bob Nightengale. If there’s lingering animosity about the way things ended, go ahead and scratch Detroit from the list of candidates.
“Sometimes, though, you just want to go where everybody knows your name. And Mize did have a solid run over the past two seasons at Comerica Park, making 22 starts with a 3.18 ERA,” Miller wrote.
Casey Mize Was Traded By The Tigers To The Padres
The Tigers sent Mize and utility player Gage Workman to San Diego in exchange for left-handed pitching prospect Kash Mayfield and lefty Jackson Wolf.
A Springville, Alabama, native, Mize went No. 1 overall to Detroit in the 2018 MLB Draft and reached the majors in 2020. Since then, he has gone 28-32 with a 4.00 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 460 strikeouts while pitching for the Tigers and Padres.
Mize agreed to a $6.125 million deal with Detroit for 2026 to avoid arbitration. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after this season concludes.
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