DETROIT -- While Tarik Skubal nears a return to the Tigers' rotation, likely Saturday in Cleveland, Casey Mize positioned himself to potentially join him this weekend, tossing five innings of one-run ball in a rehab start for Single-A Lakeland on Tuesday night in Clearwater.
Mize allowed three hits and a walk with five strikeouts. His lone run came on a first-inning homer from Nathan Humphreys, who connected with a 94 mph fastball over the inner half of the plate and lofted it deep to right for his eighth home run of the season.
Mize also allowed a ground-ball single leading off the second and an opposite-field double with one out in the fifth. The Threshers averaged 90.6 mph in exit velocity, but also hit into five ground-ball outs.
It was a workmanlike outing for Mize, who hadn’t pitched in a game since leaving his May 27 start against the Angels with a right groin strain. Mize averaged just over 93 mph on his four-seam fastball and sinker, right around his season average. He threw a healthy dose of sliders early before working in his splitter, which accounted for three of his seven swinging strikes and two of his strikeouts.
Mize also had to scramble off the mound to cover first base on a fourth-inning groundout, beating Humphreys to the bag.
Mize’s outing was the second of three Tigers rehab starts over a four-day span, all at different affiliates. Skubal tossed five scoreless innings with six strikeouts for High-A West Michigan on Sunday. Justin Verlander is scheduled to make his second rehab start for Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday night at Fifth Third Field.
The Tigers sent Mize to Single-A due to weather concerns in Toledo on Tuesday. The importance of keeping him pitching on turn Tuesday is an indication that Detroit has him lined up for a return if everything goes smoothly. Mize could be ready to pitch Sunday in Cleveland, facing a Guardians lineup against which he has had success over his career, with a 2.93 ERA over five career regular-season meetings.
Skubal, meanwhile, sounded confident that he’s ready to rejoin the Tigers' rotation. He’s scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday.
“Hopefully, that’s the last box I have to check before we make a decision,” Skubal said. “I expect everything to go well tomorrow, and hopefully, I’m back.”
Skubal typically throws his between-starts bullpen sessions three days before his next start, which indicates the Tigers will likely line him up for Saturday rather than Friday’s series opener. Jack Flaherty, who started Sunday against the Mariners, would line up for Friday on regular rest.
It’s a critical series for the Tigers’ chances of getting back into the AL Central race.