The Tarik Skubal blockbuster changed everything for the Detroit Tigers, and not just because they moved their ace to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Once that deal was done, Casey Mize immediately moved into the spotlight as the most valuable trade piece left on Detroit’s roster.
MLB insider Jon Heyman put it plainly: Casey Mize should be “next”.
Heyman described Mize as the “Best rental,” adding that he is a “Great competitor” with a 2.70 ERA and 0.99 WHIP. He also listed the Braves, D-Backs, Cubs, Rays, Padres and Yankees as possible suitors.
That kind of market only gets stronger after a pitcher like Skubal comes off the board. Plenty of contenders are still hunting for rotation help, and with one elite option gone, Mize becomes even more appealing to teams that need a starter right now.
The appeal is obvious. Mize is not a long-term gamble or a fixer-upper.
He is a rental, and a clean one at that. He becomes an unrestricted free agent after the 2026 season and is playing on a one-year, $6.15 million contract.
For clubs looking to add without tying themselves up, that matters.
And he’s not just affordable. He’s pitching like a front-line starter.
Through 16 starts, Mize has posted a 2.70 ERA with a 0.99 WHIP, struck out 85 batters across 86.2 innings and held opponents to a .213 batting average. He has also delivered eight quality starts. For a contender, that’s exactly the kind of production that can swing a deadline.
It also looks a lot like the pitcher Detroit hoped it was getting when it selected him in the 2018 MLB Draft.
The Tigers’ decision to deal Skubal says plenty about where they see things going. Detroit entered Saturday at 53-58, 5.5 games behind the first-place Chicago White Sox in the American League Central.
The club is still technically in the race, and last year showed that the second half can still surprise. But moving Skubal makes the direction clear: the Tigers are looking beyond 2026.
That’s why Mize suddenly matters even more. Keeping him would only give Detroit a modest boost in the standings. Moving him now could bring back a stronger package, whether that means prospects or young major league talent that helps shape what comes next.
With Skubal gone, the market has shifted. And in that new market, Casey Mize looks like the prize.
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