The Tarik Skubal trade changed the temperature in Detroit immediately, and now Casey Mize is the next name drawing attention.
Late Saturday night, the Tigers sent Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a move that many around the industry viewed as a major underpay. That kind of return hardly inspires confidence in a fan base already bracing for more, especially with Detroit now weighing what to do with another one of its top starters.
Mize has been part of the rumor mill for a while, and the Tigers even scratched him from a start last week with a possible deadline deal in mind. That decision made plenty of sense from Detroit’s side. If Scott Harris is shopping one of his best trade assets, the last thing he wants is for Mize to get hurt before the deadline passes.
One possible landing spot has surfaced in Arizona. USA Today columnist Bob Nightengale reported that the Diamondbacks would love to have Mize on their roster by Monday’s deadline.
Arizona has quietly pushed itself into buy mode. The Diamondbacks’ recent run has moved them ahead of the struggling Philadelphia Phillies in the NL Wild Card race, and now they appear ready to challenge the Dodgers in the NL West as well.
That sets up an obvious backdrop: both teams are chasing a World Series return. Los Angeles is trying to stay on top as the back-to-back champs, while Arizona is trying to get back after representing the NL in 2023. With Skubal now headed to Hollywood, the Diamondbacks would need to shore up their rotation if they want to keep pace.
Mize has done enough this season to draw real interest. In 16 starts, he has logged 86⅔ innings and posted a 2.70 ERA and 2.58 FIP. He’s also striking out nearly 25% of the hitters he faces, while his 5.6% walk rate gives him a profile any team would welcome.
Because Mize is on an expiring contract, Detroit should not expect a massive haul. Even so, the Tigers could still push for a strong prospect return from Arizona, and a young shortstop such as Kayson Cunningham would fit into the organization’s long-term plans.
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Casey Mize Just Became The Tigers Toughest Deadline Decision
Tarik Skubal being sent to the Dodgers changed the tenor of the Tigers deadline in a hurry, and now Casey Mize sits at the center of it. The right-hander is on a one-year deal and has pitched well enough this season to draw real attention, with MLB insider Jon Heyman reporting that he is being viewed as the top rental starter available.
What makes this such a tricky call for Detroit is the market around him. Several contenders are already watching closely, and the Tigers have made it clear enough by moving Skubal that future assets are at least part of the conversation, even with a playoff push still technically in reach. If Mize moves too, it would be another sign that Detroit is leaning into the long view, even if the timing stings for a club that still has games left to play. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Fans Are Still Processing What This Skubal Deal Means
Casey Skubals run in Detroit is over, and the move lands like the kind of franchise-shaping decision Tigers fans are still trying to sort out. A two-time American League Cy Young Award winner, Skubal is headed to the Dodgers rotation after a 2026 season that reminded everyone how dominant he can be, even as he came back from recent surgery and worked through the kind of health questions that always make front offices think twice.
For Detroit, the return brings a different kind of conversation, one built around upside and timing rather than immediate certainty. Zyhir Hope, River Ryan and Brady Smith give the Tigers pieces to dream on, but any trade involving a pitcher of Skubals stature inevitably sends the fan base back to the same place: weighing the value of what is leaving against what might eventually come back, and wondering how much risk the club was willing to take with a star on a one-year contract. [Read more 🡒]