New Casey Mize development could actually make him a viable Tigers bullpen weapon

Casey Mize really needed to make a good impression when he took the mound for the first time during Tigers spring training. In the battle for the two open rotation spots split among four pitchers, Mize and Kenta Maeda seemed to be on the back foot as opposed to younger arms Jackson Jobe and Keider Montero, given their performances during the 2024 season.

Mize and fellow former first-round pick Spencer Torkelson have both existed in a weird gray area with the Tigers for some time now. They still have some of that first-round sheen, but it's fading quickly. Mize might've intentionally been kept on the IL for longer than he needed to be last year, and Torkelson was demoted. Neither are assured a place on the Opening Day roster in 2025.

However, Mize came out of the gate well against the Yankees last Sunday. He started the game and pitched two innings, allowing just two hits but no runs and no walks. He also struck out three batters.

It's a small sample size and all, but that initial success could be thanks to him retooling his slider to work as three different pitchers. In particular, a new sweeper "with more horizontal movement away from right-handed hitters" was introduced during that outing, along with a reworked splitter.

Casey Mize adding two more pitches to his arsenal could be his ticket onto Tigers' 2025 roster

It feels fair to say that whichever two pitchers don't make it into the rotation will move to the bullpen. Maeda is owed too much money for the Tigers to drop him, they clearly still want to see what Mize can do, and Jobe and Montero have shown a little too much promise to put them back in the minors. All four could function as effective long relievers.

There's some risk involved with all four of these options. Maeda and Mize have historically struggled, and Jobe and Montero are still relatively green. However, if the second two can pull ahead in the race, maybe Mize could actually find his niche in the bullpen. It still wouldn't be ideal for anyone, considering all of the expectations Mize has failed to live up to, but he could also win his way back into the rotation in 2026, after Cobb's contract is up (Jack Flaherty could also opt out).

At least he's gotten off on the right foot and will hopefully give the other three candidates a run for their money to allow the Tigers to field the best possible rotation with what they have.