Casey Mize – With the Detroit Tigers (27-39) likely staring at a difficult summer, president of baseball operations Scott Harris could try to maximize value ahead of the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline. While two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal is the obvious centerpiece
A “for sale” mindset could soon take shape in Detroit, and the timing is tight. If the Tigers feel they can’t climb back into contention, president of baseball operations Scott Harris would presumably look to move productive players for the best haul available before the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline.
Two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal would naturally be the headline. But MLB.com’s Jason Beck doesn’t buy the idea that the market will be limited to the biggest name.
“Yeah, we get it, Tarik Skubal will be the biggest name in baseball around the Deadline. But if the Tigers indeed end up becoming sellers, Mize is a sneaky name to watch,” Beck wrote. He pointed to the 29-year-old right-handed starter as a player who. in Beck’s view. is off to the best start of his career—“even better than his All-Star campaign last year.”.
Mize isn’t just the second-most coveted trade piece on the Tigers, Beck suggested. He could become the second-most coveted trade piece in the entire league once the deadline passes and contenders evaluate what Detroit is willing to part with.
There’s a reason for the buzz. It took time for Mize to regain his momentum after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2022. Over the last year-plus, though, his production has been hard to ignore. In 2026, Mize has posted a 2.27 ERA with 49 strikeouts, along with a 0.965 WHIP and a .572 OPS against through 47 2/3 innings pitched.
Then comes the part that can change a trade conversation overnight: staying healthy.
The Springville, Alabama native is currently serving his second stint on the injured list this season after re-aggravating an abductor issue in late May. And as with Skubal, health concerns could affect what Detroit ultimately receives for Casey Mize.
All of this is still hypothetical for now. The Tigers will try to keep difficult decisions at bay by pushing to stay alive in the playoff race. They are five and a half games out of the final American League Wild Card position.
They’ll begin that push with a home series against the Minnesota Twins (30-37), with the trade deadline sitting at the edge of every productive outing between now and Aug. 3.
Detroit Tigers Scott Harris Tarik Skubal Casey Mize MLB trade deadline Aug. 3 injured list abductor issue Tommy John surgery American League Wild Card Minnesota Twins