Detroit Tigers: Outlining the 2024 rotation after latest signing

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Taking a look at the Detroit Tigers 2024 starting rotation.

The Detroit Tigers made a move recently, turning the hot stove up a bit. The team agreed to a two-year contract with right-handed pitcher Kenta Maeda. The 35-year-old right-handed pitcher is coming to Detroit on a two-year, $24 million contract.

But, with the Detroit Tigers bringing on another arm, they will be pressed to move around the rotation. Plus, the team is getting Casey Mize back, meaning some shifts are coming to the Tigers' starting rotation.

There's been a lot of work to be done this off-season, and securing some improvements in the rotation is one of them. While Maeda's addition is solid, more may be on the horizon. Adding someone like Seth Lugo to the mix could benefit the Tigers and strengthen the rotation as a whole. Depth is a key piece for the Tigers as they try to build the rotation.

Mize is returning from Tommy John, Skubal is the team's no.1, and there will be pressure on the top of the rotation to go toe-to-toe with some big-name arms. So, some insulation for the rotation and extra depth could become an essential factor for Detroit in 2024.

This may mean adding another arm on the free agent market before Spring Training. With that in mind, let's talk through each of the Tigers' projected starters that will make up the rotation in 2024. This could also very well change if the Tigers make another move.

1. Tarik Skubal - LHP

The Detroit Tigers will be relying on their ace again in 2024. Tarik Skubal has been the team's best arm over the past few seasons, stepping up in Mize's absence. While Skubal missed time in his own right, undergoing flexor tendon surgery, he was back on the mound in 2023 for the Tigers.

Skubal may not have gotten many starts, managing just 15 starts in 2023 for 80.1 innings pitched, but he did manage to hold hitters off for the most part. Skubal pitched to a 2.80 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP and walked only 14 while striking out 102 opposing hitters.

I'd expect Skubal to be the team's go-to arm once again in 2024, headlining the Tigers rotation as the "ace," even if Mize is back on the mound in 2024.

2. Casey Mize - RHP

While Skubal is the team's ace in my book, there are reasons to be excited about what the 2024 season might bring for Detroit Tigers pitcher Casey Mize. I have my concerns and worries about his future with the club, but for now, I'm buying back in and hoping he can achieve success in his return to the mound.

There was a chance he would have pitched in 2023 for the Tigers, but he ended up experiencing some setbacks that ultimately pushed back the timeline, putting an end to hopes of a return. All-in-all, that's alright. Letting Mize take his sweet time is the right move, ensuring he's truly back to 100% before sending him to the mound again after Tommy John surgery.

Mize has not thrown a pitch in a Tigers game since the early parts of the 2022 season, so he's got to be itching for some big-league competition once again. That being said, there's a chance Mize can jump back in and be the pitcher he was during the 2022 season with the Tigers.

3. Kenta Maeda - RHP

While there's been a lot of buzz in itself about the Detroit Tigers adding Maeda, it's all been good for the most part. Bringing in Maeda will allow him to settle into the middle of the rotation as somewhat of an anchor.

Maeda's pretty consistently around the league average or a bit above it, so adding him into the mix is only a good thing for the Tigers. He's got bat-missing stuff and a track record of going out and eating up innings, which the Tigers desperately need. So Maeda will do that in 2024, being a bit of an innings eater.

Even if he's not Aaron Nola or Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Maeda will serve a purpose with this Tigers team. Plus, he's much better than paying someone like $12 million to perform similar to that of Mike Pelfrey in his heyday.

4. Reese Olson - RHP

The bright spot of the Detroit Tigers rotation might be in the backend. Sure, Skubal and Mize are fun, and Maeda has intrigue in his own regard, but Reese Olson is the new kid on the block, and there's plenty to like about what he brings to the table.

For the Tigers, Olson has a chance to really emerge as a big-league starter in 2023. Olson could very much double down on a good performance in 2023. He made 18 starts with three relief appearances. Olson logged 103.2 innings pitched, managing a 3.99 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. He walked 33 opposing hitters to 103 strikeouts.

When it comes to the Tigers rotation, they're going to have some space in the backend, which is why I slotted Olson in as the no. 4. If all goes well, Olson can come out and back up his 2023 performance, carving out a role with the rotation moving forward.

5. Matt Manning - RHP

The last arm slotted into the rotation is Matt Manning. The Detroit Tigers' weak spot is the back end of things. Manning has yet to get his foot in the door as a starter. He takes his spot in the back end, but fatigue and struggles have never allowed him to make more than 18 starts, and that was in 2021 when he made his debut.

In 2023, Manning was only able to make 15 starts for the Tigers organization. He logged just 78.0 innings pitched, managing a 3.58 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. He had 21 walks to 50 punchouts for Detroit, but there's some yearning for more.

Detroit needs to see more from Manning for him to be reliable in the long term. However, Manning has yet to make that happen. In 2023, Manning has a chance to get things on track, get through an entire season, and log more innings.

Beyond that, if the Tigers do make another move, it would likely be something to bolster the backend of the rotation. Detroit could also just consider bringing in another starter to bolster things and stockpile some depth.

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