Tigers have tough decisions looming as Tarik Skubal, more starters verge on return

The Tigers still seem hopeful that Tarik Skubal's rehab assignment, as unlikely as it might seem, will be a one-and-done situation. He pitched five scoreless innings for High-A West Michigan on Sunday, which would line him up to make his return to the major league team on Friday, just six weeks after he underwent surgery.

And he's not the only one. Casey Mize and Justin Verlander are on their ways back. Mize is in Single-A Lakeland and set to make a rehab start on Tuesday night. Verlander is scheduled for a second Triple-A start on Wednesday. There was some hope that Verlander's assignment would also be one-and-done, but it's probably better they take their time with a 43-year-old pitcher.

This means that the Tigers could get three pitchers back in three consecutive weeks — if not less. Skubal, then Verlander, then Mize. It would revive the Tigers' Opening Day rotation completely for the first time since April 1.

But it also means that Detroit may have to demote starters who don't deserve it. Keider Montero, Troy Melton, and Ty Madden have spent varying amounts of time holding the fort as the rotation has taken blow and injury blow. Unless the Tigers go to a six-man rotation, all three of them will end up either in the bullpen or down in Triple-A.

Tarik Skubal, Justin Verlander, Casey Mize's impending returns force Tigers to make unfortunate decisions

Let's say the Tigers do go to a six-man rotation and let one current starter (other than Jack Flaherty and Framber Valdez) stay in the rotation. Madden, who has pitched the fewest innings (and mostly in long relief), will almost certainly get a more formalized, full bullpen role. Montero vs. Melton is a much harder decision. Montero has been with the Tigers the longest, having come up as the corresponding move when Verlander went onto the IL, and he's been excellent at times, but Melton arguably has the higher ceiling.

He's pitched three starts since coming off of the IL, and his latest was an eight-inning, two-run effort in which he only needed 94 pitches. He's not striking guys out at a great clip, but his efficiency has been mightily impressive.

Whether it turns out to be a five- or six-man rotation, we can probably expect the pitchers who don't make the cut to head back down to Triple-A — especially if it's Montero and/or Melton. The Tigers sent Montero there to start the season because they believed in him as a starter and wanted to keep him in a starter's routine.

All in all, this is a positive development — the Tigers are getting back an ace, a former ace, and a former first-round pick who's following a breakout season perfectly, and it's always better to have a wealth of options — but we'll be sad to have to say goodbye to whoever gets bumped when the roster moves come.

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