Going into the season, Tarik Skubal was viewed as the undisputed ace of the pitching staff, with the newly resigned Jack Flaherty as the firm #2 in the rotation. Casey was just hoping to secure a spot on the Opening Day roster after falling out of favor by the end of the Postseason. Now, with Flaherty falling victim to the long ball, Mize has emerged as the second most reliable pitcher on the staff. All of his effort was rewarded with his first All-Star selection. Heading into the break, Mize boast a 9-3 record with a 3.15 ERA, and 77 punch-outs through 88 and 2/3 innings pitched.

Congratulations to former No. 1 overall pick and now All-Star Casey Mize

Truly has been one of the best comeback stories in baseball. A key reason why the Detroit Tigers have the best record in the game.

Make that 6 Detroit Tigers All-Stars! pic.twitter.com/AMRPK1tEdZ

— Microwave Nick (@NickKohloff) July 11, 2025

One of the main rationale for his success has been the development of his splitter as a bonafide put away pitch, which has made his fastball a high value weapon for him. In a year’s time his fastball run value has increased from -3 to 7. Another glaring statistic, is his success against lefthand hitters, who have only managed just a a .211 average against him. Possibly the most important factor of them all though, is him avoiding the injury bug. In 2024 he missed significant time with a left hamstring strain, which derailed his season last year. Outside of a short stint in May to the opposite hamstring, he has been fully healthy the first half of this year.

Despite his strong start, the Tigers will likely look to add at least one arm to the starting rotation at the trade deadline. They’ve already lost their young phenom Jackson Jobe for the season to Tommy John Surgery and just about every member has spent some time on the Injured list besides Tarik Skubal. The Tiger’s came into the year with what seemed to be a surplus of pitching especially after the signing of Free Agent Alex Cobb, but after numerous rehabilitation starts, it appears his lingering back issues will continue to plague him. Regardless, it appears Mize has shook the label of draft bust and will be an asset for years to come in Detroit’s rotation.