Two injured Tigers players showed promising progress in live batting practice on Saturday, marking their steps towards rejoining the team. Outfielder Kerry Carpenter and right-hander Casey Mize both performed well, with Carpenter hitting a long home run and a single off Mize.
Carpenter, turning 27 in September, has been sidelined since May due to a lumbar spine stress fracture. Before his injury, he was having a stellar season, posting a .283/.347/.572 slash line with 10 doubles, four triples, and eight home runs in 50 games. This impressive performance earned him an excellent wRC+ of 149. Carpenter’s return is expected to significantly boost the Tigers’ lineup, even though the team is largely out of playoff contention. He indicated that he might start a rehab assignment this week. With Carpenter and Riley Greene on the IL, the Tigers are currently relying on an outfield of Matt Vierling, Wenceel Perez, and Parker Meadows.
Mize also looked strong during his two innings of work, according to MLB.com’s Injury Tracker. Greene, who faced Mize, noted that the pitcher threw all his pitches with confidence. Mize, who has been out for over a month due to a hamstring strain, won’t be eligible to return from the 60-day IL until August 31 but could begin a rehab assignment soon. In his 16 starts this year, Mize has a league-average 4.23 ERA but a stronger 3.69 FIP over 78 2/3 innings. This season marks his return after making just two starts in 2022 and missing the entire 2023 season due to Tommy John surgery.
Mize’s return to the rotation would be a relief for the Tigers, who have faced difficulties with their starting staff. The team traded Jack Flaherty to the Dodgers and saw Reese Olson join Mize on the IL due to a shoulder strain. Behind ace Tarik Skubal, the Tigers have faced uncertainty, with rookies Bryan Sammons and Keider Montero struggling with high ERAs and veteran Kenta Maeda posting a 7.26 ERA in 16 starts before moving to the bullpen.
Maeda has improved somewhat since his bullpen move, with a 4.40 ERA and 4.14 FIP in 14 1/3 innings over four appearances. Manager A.J. Hinch mentioned that while Maeda might rejoin the rotation eventually, the current plan is to keep him in the bullpen, using him as a bulk arm following an opener and maintaining a starting pitcher’s schedule. The Tigers hope Maeda can perform well in the final months of the 2024 season as they look towards the last year of his two-year, $24M contract in 2025.
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