Tigers Lose Another Starting Pitcher to Injured List
Ahead of Friday's series opener against the Chicago White Sox, the Detroit Tigers announced that yet another pitcher is heading to the IL.
In this case, the Tigers placed right-handed starter Casey Mize on the 15-Day IL on Friday, retroactive to May 28th, with right adductor inflammation. This is the same side that forced Mize to miss three weeks earlier in the season, when he was diagnosed with an adductor strain in April.
The Tigers today placed RHP Casey Mize on the 15-day injured list (retro to May 28) with right adductor inflammation. RHP Beau Brieske has been activated off the 60-day injured list and added to the 26-man roster.
— Tigers PR (@DetroitTigersPR) May 29, 2026
To make room for Brieske on the 40-man roster, LHP Brant Hurter…
To say that the Tigers' pitching depth has been challenged this year is an understatement. The team was the betting favorite to win the AL Central before the season started, but currently sits in last place and 10.5 games back of the first-place Cleveland Guardians.
Detroit has spent the past few weeks without its ace and reigning two-time AL Cy Young Winner, Tarik Skubal, and remains without the services of Justin Verlander and Jackson Jobe. Another starter, Reese Olson, underwent Tommy John surgery earlier this year and is expected to return at next year's spring training.
On Wednesday, Mize exited his start against the Los Angeles Angels after four innings with a groin injury. The former first overall pick had six strikeouts on 58 pitches, but was replaced by Drew Anderson in the top of the fifth inning. Despite the abbreviated start, it was the fifth time in nine appearances that Mize had recorded five or more strikeouts.
Casey Mize's 2Ks in the 2nd. pic.twitter.com/60wsF7BYCJ
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 27, 2026
The good news is that Mize was spotted playing catch on Thursday, which could indicate that the injury is relatively mild in nature, although as of now, there is no timeline for his return.
The timing of Mize's injury will be another tough pill for the Tigers to swallow. The team is expecting to get both Verlander and Skubal back in June, which could have given them enough time to turn things around. Nonetheless, it is getting late early for the Tigers, and an extended absence for Mize could be one of the nails in the coffin for Detroit's season. Aside from Skubal, Mize has easily been the most effective and important pitcher on the Tigers' staff.
Mize lands on the IL just a day after closer Kenley Jansen was shelved with pelvic inflammation. Both pitchers have been struggling with these core/lower body injuries this season and are finally getting some time off to properly heal. In a corresponding move, the Tigers are activating reliever Beau Brieske, who has been out all season with an adductor injury of his own.
In nine starts this year, Mize has an impressive ERA of 2.27 with a 0.96 WHIP in 47.2 innings. He's allowed just two home runs and 12 earned runs, while striking out 49 batters and walking 12. After being named an AL All-Star in 2025, Mize is finally living up to the hype of being the first overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft.
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This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 4:43 PM.