TODAY: Mize has a sprained MCL, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including Chris McCosky of The Detroit News and Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free Press). Mize will undergo more tests on Monday but did say that his arm was already feeling better today. Pineda has been scratched from tomorrow’s Triple-A start and is expected to pitch for the Tigers during their upcoming series (Apri 19-21) against the Yankees.
APRIL 15: The Tigers announced they’ve placed starter Casey Mize on the 10-day injured list with a right elbow sprain. Cody Stavenhagen of the Athletic relays the Tigers consider the IL placement “precautionary” in nature. In a corresponding move, outfielder Daz Cameron has been recalled from Triple-A Toledo.
Mize worked five innings of two-run ball yesterday against the Royals. He felt some elbow soreness upon waking up this morning and will go for further testing, tweets Jason Beck of MLB.com. That the team is stressing today’s IL placement to be precautionary is a bit of a relief, but it’s worrisome any time a young pitcher of Mize’s talent goes on the shelf with any sort of arm issue.
The first overall pick in the 2018 draft, Mize entered the professional ranks with sky-high expectations. He moved quickly through the minors, performing well consistently while maintaining his status as a top prospect. The Alabama native reached the big leagues late in 2020 and spent last season in the Detroit rotation. Over 30 starts, Mize tossed 150 1/3 innings of 3.71 ERA ball. His 19.3% strikeout percentage and 9.4% swinging strike rate were subpar, but he showed excellent control and induced ground-balls at a solid 48.1% clip.
Mize stayed healthy for the entirety of last season, but he’s had some injury concerns in the past. He missed time with forearm troubles during his sophomore year at Auburn — essentially the only flag raised on pre-draft scouting reports — and he spent a month on the minor league IL with shoulder soreness in 2019. Between that history and Mize’s obvious importance to the organization long-term, the Tigers are sure to proceed with caution.
With Mize out of the rotation for at least the next week and a half, the Tigers are down to Eduardo Rodríguez, Tarik Skubal, Matt Manning and Tyler Alexander as the top four. Detroit signed veteran righty Michael Pineda to a one-year deal to serve as the #5 starter, but he was delayed by visa issues and consented to be optioned to Toledo to open the year. Pineda is lined up to start for the Mud Hens this weekend but could be recalled by the middle or end of next week.
Right-hander Wily Peralta started 18 games for the Tigers last season and is in the organization on a minor league deal. He’s been building up arm strength after visa delays held him back too, but manager A.J. Hinch told reporters he’ll be brought up to the majors “shortly” (link via Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free-Press). Detroit plans on deploying him out of the bullpen this season, but his background as a starter should make him a multi-inning option. Peralta is not yet on the 40-man roster, so the Tigers will need to make a move in that regard to formally select his contract.
Trying to throw that four seamer a bit too much this year. Went from just under 30% in 2021 to over 46% in 2022. Hoping it isn’t damaged but wouldn’t be surprised if he needs TJS.
I’m afraid you may be right about the possibility of TJS, which would be devastating to him and the Tigers. I’m hoping for the best but fearing the worst.
First it was Curveballs cause UCL damage. Then it became Curveballs are fine, but Sliders cause UCL damage. Then it became throwing 100 mph causes UCL damage. Now its become throwing 93 mph Fastballs instead of Sinkers (which require the exact same amount of elbow activity to throw) causes UCL damage. I think fans just make up whatever they want to in order to sound like they know what they are talking about.
Its not so much that fans make up injuries, however, there are pitchers that deal with some significant stiffness to strain to tears in their elbows. Pitchers that throw hard or a lot breaking balls or sliders use a lot of torque in their elbows to throw those pitchers.
@BeeVeeTee
Try this. Wake up on the morning and the first thing you do is lift 100 LBS. Do 2X 10 reps. Then go throw some fastballs for 10 minutes. Then go about your regular life. Do this everyday for 3 or 4 months and see if you have any injuries. Guy bumped his usage of the FB over 50% from last year and dropped the usage of other pitches and maintained a few others. He’s compensating for his lack of control of the other pitches by pitching the 4-seamer more than usual. What do you expect?
Something is off with him and he could use some more time being sent down to the minors again to work on his actual control.
@Superstar Prospect Wander Javier
When you change what you throw so significantly to the point it is now 50% compared to 30% of the time, injuries will occur, regardless of what pitch or speed. Overcompensating and still failing.
He has substituted his 2-seamer with his 4-seamer. All other pitch usage is the same. There is no difference on your elbow between throwing those two pitches. Please tell me how I’m wrong.
@Superstar Prospect Wander Javie
Sorry to inform you but he doesn’t have a 2-seamer. He’s dropped his use of the sinker significantly and aside from the 4-seamer, he’s dropped or maintained the use of all the other pitches. All the information is coming from BaseballSavant, not my random unprofessional fan head. Might want to check it out.
I said nothing about the difference in arm angles. He’s literally gone from using his 4-seamer 29% of the time to 46% of the time. That is a 56% increase in usage. Doesn’t matter how you word it, if you’re ramped up the usage of one pitch by 56%, and stopped what you were doing before, it’s going to have an impact on your body and arm.
A 2-seamer is a sinker, you moron.
Hmmm…from that it certainly seems that the action of pitching causes UCL damage.
You might be on to something, poop.
It’s a bit early to be predicting Tommy John surgery.
I feel like saying it’s precautionary while also going as far as deeming it an elbow sprain is a bit misleading (not a knock on MLBTR at all — other sources are providing this info). General elbow soreness is one thing — although worrisome in its own right — but if there’s a known sprain, you have to think there’s more legitimate concern.
Elbows are the most eye opening injury. Could have potential to be devastating.
Wouldn’t having your eyelid get ripped be the most eye-opening injury?
Actually, ,shoulder problems are more worrisome than elbows. Elbows have proven to be fixable–although yes, it takes a year or more to recover–but shoulder problems are rarely resolved completely and often become chronic matters that rob pitchers of their stuff.
Every time a pitcher has a sore elbow, everyone jumps to TJS being needed right away. If this is indeed a minor injury, he should be fine. You can sprain your elbow or pull a forearm muscle without tearing your UCL. Let’s hope Mize is fine and will be back soon. The game is better when the best players are healthy.
It’s more of the “when there’s smoke, there’s fire” thing. He may be fine, but the words, “elbow sprain” are rarely comforting.
And if it’s truly a sprain, which we’re told is worse than a strain, how is the expectation he’ll only miss a week and a half?
You sprain a ligament but strain muscles or tendons. Two different words to describe similar injuries to different types of tissue. It always depends on the degree of injury.
Uh oh spaghetti oh
I’d bet the car on the fact that he needs TJS. Not the house, but definitely the car. He hasn’t looked right all spring and I told my buddy just today after last night’s start that I bet he ends up on the shelf here soon. Got a feeling it’ll be announced before end of April he’ll be going under the knife to get it outta the way before 2023 season.
Whenever a pitcher has issues with his elbow or any area around it like the forearm or tricep then odds are he is most likely going to need Tommy John surgery. I use to say this about Chris Sale during his time on the White Sox where he did one or two stints on the DL before trading him to the Red Sox where he eventually had the procedure. Mize is still young so if he can bounce back if he has to get Tommy John surgery.
“Precautionary” IL. In following the Tigers, they always give the fans hope with short IL stay statements like this.
Hopefully I am wrong
“Hello TJ my old friend….”
Hinch to Avila: “Is there any way we can bring up Pineda or Peralta and NOT add them to the 40-man?”
Avila: “Yes, I have some tickets right behind the dugout.”
Daz Cameron is a great name for a professional wrestler. If baseball doesn’t work out he can always go that route.