Did Detroit Tigers Resurgent Veteran Have Comeback Campaign Derailed By Injury?

The Detroit Tigers enter the weekend with the best record in Major League Baseball, and a huge part of the reason why that has been the case so far has been starting pitching.

With a starting rotation that was putting up some historic numbers including the best collective ERA in the month of April (2.80) for the franchise since 1984's World Series team.

It was always going to be difficult to keep that pace up, and in the month of May, inconsistency and injuries began to rear their ugly head.

One of the victims was one of the early favorites for American League Comeback Player of the Year in resurgent right-hander Casey Mize. For the first time in his career, Mize looked like the pitcher Detroit hoped it was getting when they selected him No. 1 overall.

With a 2.12 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 4-1 record in May, Mize was off to the races. A hamstring injury interrupted the run he was on though and placed him on the injured list for a couple of weeks. Since his return, he has struggled to replicate the same dominance.

Casey Mize Has Not Looked the Same For Tigers Since Return From Injury

The numbers Mize has posted since coming off the IL are not horrible over the last three starts, but they have taken a dip. Over the three last starts since returning, the 28-year-old has a 4.15 ERA and 1.92 WHIP. Perhaps more concerning is the .321 opposing batting average as well.

The lack of command and swing and miss is by far the most troubling part after walking just seven hitters in April before equaling that number in the last three starts including four walks on Thursday against the Chicago White Sox.

Mize soldiered on to give his team a chance after throwing 64 pitches in the first two frames, but with 93 pitches and just 59 strikes, he was pulled after 4.2 innings.

If the hurler can get it back together, it raises the ceiling of the starting rotation immensely. But if the first month for Mize was just a flash in the pan, a unit that looked like one of if not the best in baseball when healthy is in reality not close to that.

Mize will go back to the drawing board to try to find whatever it is he had in the first half, but he needs to find it quickly.