The Detroit Tigers have no fewer than eight potential starters vying for a spot in the 2024 starting rotation. There are three who are locks, opening day starter Tarik Skubal and free agent additions Kenta Maeda and Jack Flaherty are expected to provide leadership and innings for a rotation that has health and youth questions going into the season.
The Tigers have several options for the final two spots in the rotation. There are some big question marks however with each of the candidates. Most rotations will need at least seven to eight starters over the course of a season and the Tigers have several pitchers who figure to be on a restricted work load due to returning from injury.
Matt Manning is coming off a season where he made 15 starts spanning 78 innings around two stints on the IL for a fractured toe and foot. So far this spring Manning has looked like a man on a mission. He looked strong against the Yankeeslineup that featured predominantly starters, only giving up a solo home run to Juan Soto, while striking out four in three innings of work.
Casey Mize is coming off two lost years due to injury. So far, the results for Mize have been promising this spring, but as it is with many pitchers coming off Tommy John, the command has been hit and miss. In 2021 Mize was rounding into form as a high-quality front of the rotation pitcher, tossing a 3.71 ERA across 150.1 innings of work. The Tigers are hopeful that Mize will be able to return to form that made in a first overall pick in 2018.
Reese Olson had a breakout after being called up to the majors in 2023. The return in the Daniel Norris trade from 2021, Olson stepped into the Tigers rotation as an injury replacement and ended up throwing over 103 innings with an ERA of 3.99, helping provide innings for a rotation decimated by injury. The Tigers are considering a number of options to manage workloads in 2024. It would not be shocking to see the Tigers utilize piggy back starts and Olson and Mize are prime candidates for that role.
Sawyer Gibson-Long pitched well in a brief four-start cameo at the end of the 2023 season. In those four starts spanning 20.0 innings Gibson-Long posted a 2.70 ERA with 26 strikeouts and 8 walks. Barring an injury he is likely to start the year in AAA, where he will need to continue to refine his command and will be a short drive from providing innings for the big league club when needed.
Best of the rest: Alex Faedo, Brant Hurter, Keider Montero, Beau Brieske, and Wilmer Flores.
Faedo’s ultimate role is still to be determined, same with Brieske. Both have a chance to make the opening day roster as long relievers, especially if Mize makes the starting rotation. Hurter, Montero and Flores along with Ty Madden are likely to be in the rotation at Toledo.
The guess right now is Manning and Mize will open the year as the starters and Olson will be in the Toledo rotation ready to step in when the inevitable injury bug bites someone in the rotation or when the Tigers decide they need to provide some load management to one of their starters.
