Metro-Detroit news outlet predicts Tigers 2024 starting rotation

Detroit Tigers' starting rotation is getting great reviews.

The time has come, and the Detroit Tigers are about to pick up things as Spring Training is underway. Players are rolling into Lakeland and hitting the mound, cages, field, etc. For the Tigers, it's time for everyone to get critical about the team's roster as the team works through their prep work.

When it comes to the Detroit Tigers and their operation as a whole, the hopes seem to be very high about what the 2024 season will look like. Mark Canha's comments are projecting the team to make a World Series run, or the season is a bust—a pretty lofty goal for a team that seemingly has a lot of holes.

However, looking at the team's starting rotation and what it may look like in 2024, the reviews have been quite positive. Metro Detroit News outlet Local 4 News (ClickOnDetroit) predicted what the team's starting rotation will look like this spring.

Derek Hutchinson, ClickOnDetroit's Lead Digital Editor, forecasted how he thinks the rotation will shape up. It's on par, especially with the Tigers doing a lot of work this off-season to bring in new faces. The team spent money and brought in a few new names to help bolster things.

The Tigers have five arms who headline the mix, but a few others who could push for a rotation spot. Hutchinson's got six names as part of a five-man rotation, with the fifth spot being a bit of a revolving door. But, the Tigers have reportedly been kicking around the idea of a six-man rotation in 2024, which seems possible.

1. Tarik Skubal
2. Kenta Maeda
3. Jack Flaherty
4. Matt Manning
5. Reese Olson/Casey Mize

Tarik Skubal being named the ace was the right call here. He's the team's no.1 arm and will lead Detroit into the season as their best arm. He may not be an ace by big-league standards for a competitive team, but he's Detroit's best arm. However, Skubal will be the team's best option heading into the year.

The next two arms are two new faces that were signed this off-season. Kenta Maeda joins the Tigers after pitching for the Twins and is a solid middle-of-the-rotation pitcher. He will bring a solid option to see make starts every fifth (potentially sixth) day in 2024. Jack Flaherty was given a "prove it" deal and will try to settle into the Tigers rotation—another intriguing new addition to watch this spring/summer.

After that, it's all returning arms and players that Tigers fans all know quite well. But is this arrangement right?

Matt Manning returning to Detroit's rotation and being named the fourth starter is bold. The big and tall right-hander has not shown much durability in his time in the big leagues. He's got a chance to be a backend starter, but seeing how it shakes out will be interesting.

Having Manning ahead of Reese Olson or Casey Mize is shocking. Olson has legit stuff, and if he can come out and throw strikes, building up his stamina in a starting role, he's got a chance to be really good. Mize, on the other hand, is coming back from Tommy John surgery, and there's a bit of reason to be concerned.

The former first-round pick being labeled as a fringe starter for the big league club in 2024 is a lot. Maybe it's more of a concern that he needs time to ramp back up, but he should be full-go in 2024. I've increasingly lost faith in Mize being a future ace for this ballclub, and 2024 could be the year where reality starts settling in.