Tigers fans bracing for another letdown as Scott Harris holds keys to Casey Mize market

Scott Harris can't undo the underwhelming return the Detroit Tigers received for Tarik Skubal. But the Casey Mize trade market gives him an immediate opportunity to begin repairing the damage.

Mize has been widely presumed to be the next Tigers starter moved after Detroit sent Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers, especially after he was scratched from his scheduled start on Friday. One rival general manager described Mize to Jon Heyman as the “best rental” remaining among available starters, with the Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Tampa Bay Rays, San Diego Padres and New York Yankees listed among his possible suitors.

That's exactly the kind of market Detroit should be able to exploit. Mize has a 2.70 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP, postseason experience, and the former No. 1 overall pick pedigree that will inevitably intrigue clubs searching for October pitching. He is also apparently attracting interest from teams with very different needs, farm systems, and levels of desperation.

In other words, Harris should have all kinds of leverage. But Tigers fans have every reason to be skeptical about whether he will use it.

Casey Mize trade interest gives Scott Harris chance for a PR win after underwhelming Tarik Skubal trade return

Detroit just moved the best pitcher available at the deadline — a back-to-back Cy Young Award winner in Skubal — and came away with a package that felt light compared to the magnitude of the player surrendered. Fair or not, every subsequent deal will now be evaluated through that lens.

The Mize trade represents Harris’ first chance at a public-relations rebound. He can't afford to settle for a modest return simply because Mize is approaching free agency. When at least six legitimate contenders are connected to one of the best starters left on the market, the Tigers should be encouraging a bidding war, not rushing to accept the first respectable offer.

Several of those teams should feel urgency. The Yankees can't enter a postseason race believing they have enough pitching. The Padres rarely hesitate to make an aggressive move. The Cubs and Diamondbacks could be competing directly for playoff positioning, while the Braves and Rays have long histories of pursuing high-upside arms. Harris must make those clubs compete against one another.

The Skubal trade has already left Tigers fans questioning whether Detroit properly valued its greatest asset. A weak Mize return would only reinforce the fear that Harris is more interested in completing deals than maximizing them. There are too many suitors and too much demand for that excuse to work this time.

Scott Harris holds the keys to the Casey Mize market. Tigers fans are now waiting to see whether he drives up the price or sends them directly into another deadline disappointment.

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