Predicting Tigers’ biggest move before MLB trade deadline

Mize’s career hasn’t followed the path many expected when the Tigers selected him first overall in 2018. Injuries repeatedly interrupted his development and raised questions about whether he would ever become the frontline starter scouts envisioned. To his credit, Mize never stopped fighting back.

He’s worked his way through those setbacks and re-established himself as a dependable major league starter. While he may not have developed into a perennial Cy Young candidate yet, he’s shown he can provide quality innings, keep his team in games, and contribute to a winning rotation when healthy.

That’s exactly why contenders, or even non-contenders, will be interested. Every trade deadline creates a premium market for starting pitching, especially for clubs looking to solidify their postseason rotations. Mize offers a combination of upside, experience, and durability that many playoff hopefuls will find attractive. As a rental, he also becomes more affordable than starters under long-term control, potentially expanding the list of teams willing to make an aggressive offer.

For Detroit, the timing couldn’t make more sense.

If the Tigers don’t believe they’ll seriously contend over the final two months, allowing Mize to leave in free agency with nothing in return would be difficult to justify. By trading him now, they can replenish organizational depth while keeping the core of their roster intact.

It also allows the front office to continue building around players like Skubal and the club’s younger talent instead of risking the loss of an asset for minimal value. That is, if Detroit can re-sign him.

There’s always a chance Detroit surprises everyone by climbing back into the postseason race, but with the team sitting below .500 and several clubs ahead of it in the American League playoff picture, the smarter approach may be accepting reality. Moving Casey Mize wouldn’t signal the start of another rebuild. Instead, it would be a practical baseball decision based on expiring contracts, roster management, and long-term planning.

If the Tigers make one significant move before the trade deadline, we shouldn’t expect it to involve Tarik Skubal. Casey Mize has become Detroit’s most logical trade chip, and with contenders searching for reliable starting pitching, the market should be there if the Tigers decide it’s time to make a deal.