Detroit Tigers make surprising demotion as they set their 2024 five-man rotation

The Detroit Tigers have set up their 2024 starting rotation as Matt Manning was optioned to Toledo was among several moves that were announced Friday morning.

On the surface, Manning's spring training numbers don't seem too bad. K per 9 of 10.69 and and ERA of 3.58 but digging deeper in his 16 innings of work, he allowed six home runs over the eight hits he allowed. So the starting rotation will look like this when the Tigers head to Chicago next week.

1. LHP Tarik Skubal

Manager A.J. Hinch said that Skubal will get the assignment on Opening Day and has his final start of the spring against the Phillies on Friday.

2. RHP Kenta Maeda

Madea will get the nod for Game 2 as well as the Tigers home opener on April 5th against the A's.

3. RHP Jack Flaherty

Hinch said Flahtery will get the ball for Game 3. He was impressive in his last start back on March 19, allowing four hits over five innings striking out 7, generating 12 whiffs, with his fastball hitting 97.

4. RHP Casey Mize

Mize's innings will be watched closely but he has showcased a fastball that has been hitting 97-98 that has been generating swings and misses to go along with his splitter and slider.

5. RHP Reese Olson

Olson pitched solid down the stretch and that continued in spring training. His numbers so far in spring training: 14.2 IP 11H 6R 6ER 1HR 4BB 14K

The bullpen battle continues

The final spots for the bullpen come down to RHP Miguel Diaz, Alex Faedo, Beau Brieske and LHP Joey Wentz. Both Wentz and Diaz do not have any options left and of the four, Diaz seems to be the odd man out, just looking at the stats alone. He has 7 IP, 10 H, 5ER, and a 6.43 ERA this spring.

Brieske has not allowed a single run over 11.1IP of work but among the four, his K per 9 stands at 5.4 and Hinch has indicated, he wants more swing and miss stuff from his bullpen. So that is the final storyline to look out over the next few days.

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